Free tertiary education shines, but cracks appear at the foundation

The government’s decision to make tertiary education free is a bold and commendable investment in the nation’s future. It sends a powerful message that talent, not wealth, should determine who advances to university or college. In the long term, this policy promises a more skilled workforce, greater innovation and broader social mobility. Yet, as enrolments surge upward, a worrying picture is emerging at the base of the education system. The return of tent classrooms in towns is a visible sign that the foundation is under strain. While access to higher education expands, the conditions in which many children begin their learning journey appear to be deteriorating. Education is a ladder, and its strength depends on its lowest rungs. If primary and secondary schools are overcrowded, under-resourced or temporary in nature, the country risks producing students who reach tertiary institutions unprepared. Free university education alone cannot compensate for gaps formed much earlier. For the government to truly reap the fruits of free tertiary education, it must reinforce the entire system. Investing in classrooms, teachers and learning materials at the foundational levels is not a competing priority—it is a necessary one.