Introduction
Different countries deal with the issue of higher education funding differently, through either private or public sector financing. According to Murphy et al. (2017), in the UK, full-time domestic students could attend public higher education institutions free of charge until the end of the 20th century. Later on, tuitions were introduced to make up for the growing number of enrollments. From 2006 to 2012, the maximum tuition fee had tripled, raising the concern that it might aggravate the existing social inequality (Murphy et al., 2017). The Functionalist and Conflict theories have different perspectives on the issue, but they agree that the increase in tuition fees does not simply help to improve the quality of education. At the same time, it serves as a selective method for students who can afford it. This paper aims at discussing the issue of increasing tuition fees in the UK from the perspective of the Functionalist and Conflict theories.
Functionalist and Conflict Perspectives
Firstly, it is necessary to note the difference between the two sociological perspectives on education’s role. According to the Functionalist theory, education generally serves the purpose of passing on knowledge, skills, and core values of the nation to the next generations (Sanderson, 2015). Thus, it fulfills a socializing function and meets the needs of society. Different activities and behaviors in children will be rewarded depending on what values are needed in future citizens. Besides, education aims at sorting students based on their merit. Functionalists believe that every educational system is developed to support the country’s political and economic system.
The Conflict theory agrees that education is selective but in a different way and for a different purpose. It serves to allocate scarce resources and maintain social order, sorting students by class and ethnicity (Sanderson, 2015). Schools in affluent districts are funded better and provide a higher quality of education, strengthening the position of students from high-income households and disadvantaging students from lower-income families. Besides, class inequality implies racial disparity, as the majority of affluent districts and, consequently, schools are white. Tests often are biased and assume cultural knowledge typical for the white upper class. Therefore, Conflict theorists claim that the educational system works for sustaining social inequality.
The Effects of Increasing Tuition Fees in the UK on Social Order
Specialists argue about how the increased cost of education in institutions of the UK affects the existing global social inequality levels. According to Murphy et al. (2017), the number of total enrollments was growing rapidly until the 1998 reform. Therefore, the UK’s decision to introduce tuition was based on insufficient resources, which could decrease education quality. However, enrollments have still been rising at a slightly slower rate ever since (Murphy et al., 2017). Along with that, there have been changes in racial diversity, and students’ mental health, which implies that cost increase exacerbates social issues and inequalities.
As per the Functionalist theory, students are placed in similar conditions and have access to education according to their achievements and motivation, not socioeconomic status. Everyone can benefit from education if they show interest in it and are talented. This principle is fulfilled through grants and merit-based scholarships (Schulze-Cleven et al., 2017). Despite the high cost, non-EU students’ enrollments in the UK have tripled between the 1990s and 2010s (Hajela & Sumption, 2017). The statistic proves that higher education is affordable through financial aid, even for students from low-income families and other countries. A report by Bradley and Migali (2015) indicated the positive effect of the increased tuition fee, as it reduces the “hazard of dropping out of a university degree course in the first year of study” (p. 13). Therefore, the reform is seen as a positive change that improves the students’ motivation.
Besides, the Functionalist theory is the reason for increased tuition fees since it selects the most successful students to provide them with leading roles in society in the future. Supporting individuals with advantageous traits allows the nation to maintain its core values. In general, diversity is not so crucial from the Functionalist perspective. Equality is ensured by offering everyone the opportunity, while the fact that everyone’s background depends on their social surroundings and economic situation is not considered critical for the educational system. For functionalism, academic merit should be rewarded as it means the student can benefit society.
However, the Conflict theorists argue that the existing educational system aggravates global social inequalities. For example, to get scholarships, applicants must meet a number of requirements apart from their academic or sports achievements, such as country of origin, family income, and age. The cognitive abilities of an individual depend on how they are raised and what their cultural capital is. Thus, despite the functionalist positive view on the educational system, access to high-quality education is significantly limited for some individuals. A study by Allen and Wolniak (2018) proves that increased tuition fees reduce the racial diversity of the higher education institutions, especially at non-selective colleges. Lower diversity means poorer academic experience and decreases the possibility of developing tolerance in students.
Besides, there is research that proves that increased education cost impacts the students’ mental health, as it promotes insecurities about their future. According to Richardson et al. (2015), in the UK, some students face the risk of “dropping out for financial reasons,” as well as concerns about being in debt (para. 3). This fact cannot be considered beneficial for society as it causes anxiety in less affluent students. From the Conflict theory perspective, a current approach to education emphasizes social inequality and influences the students’ future, limiting their opportunities based on their social and financial status.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the impact of increased tuition fees in the UK on society is discussed in this paper. Two sociological theories are applied to this complex issue, studying social, financial, and economic changes. It can be concluded that the Functionalist theory sees the beneficial effect of education on an ordered society, while Conflict theory believes that the higher cost of education impairs the current level of social inequality.
References
Allen, D., & Wolniak, G. C. (2018). When university tuition fees go up, diversity goes down. University World News. Web.
Bradley, S., & Migali, G. (2015). The effect of a tuition fee reform on the risk of drop out from university in the UK. Economics Working Paper Series, 16. Web.
Hajela, R., & Sumption, M. (2017). Non-EU higher education students: Impact on the UK economy. The Migration Observatory, 2. Web.
Murphy, R. J., Scott-Clayton, G., & Wyness, G. (2017). Lessons from the end of free college in England. Brookings, Web.
Richardson, T., Elliott, P., & Roberts, R. (2015). The impact of tuition fees amounts on mental health over time in British students. Journal of Public Health, 37(3), 412–418. Web.
Sanderson, S. K. (2015). Rethinking sociological theory: Introducing and explaining a scientific theoretical sociology. Routledge.
Schulze-Cleven, T., Reitz, T., Maesse, J., & Angermuller, J. (2017). The new political economy of higher education: between distributional conflicts and discursive stratification. Higher Education, 73, 795–812. Web.