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Almost all our presidents have always pitched for higher education as being the only salvation for all problems our country faces and Obama is no exception. This is evident with his recent State of Union address. Sure enough, he pitched for higher education passionately. In a speech last year, he said that we are trying to cut investments in education and innovation in a bid to bring down deficit. This is similar to removing the engine of an airplane to lighten the load.

As we have seen, investing billions in education does not really solve the issue and only creates more problems. The higher education bubble is next on the panel of discussion of the national association of scholars. Higher education cost is constantly mounting driven by government subsidies infusion.

Graduates who earn degrees ultimately realize that it is not worth the huge investment. College degree used to guarantee well paying jobs a few years back. Now, students leave college with huge debts and find it hard to find a job that will enable them to pay back their loans.

Experts feel that getting a college degree today does not automatically make a person well educated and make him or her suitable for the labor market equipped with necessary skills. According to them, higher education bubble would have already burst if not for the constant influx of foreign students and infusion of government subsidies. Subjects like liberal arts which were once held in high esteem have fallen in stature today.

The situation today is far from the norms of yesterday. Students cannot simply study some literature, history, second language or major in classics or philosophy. Very few of the 1.5 million Americans who graduated in 2008 had a degree in traditional arts. A minimal 3.5 percent of them got their degrees in English and only 2 percent got their bachelor’s degree in history.

Students have given up on liberal arts. The best of Western civilization was passed on for centuries through liberal arts. In spite of the practicality of choosing subjects of practical bent, students refrain from and subjects that they ought to be encouraged to take in order to pursue perennial questions and pursue inquiry.

At a time when we actually believe we have a great culture worth passing on to generations, we need more students studying these subjects. Our history is being rewritten and our culture is constantly under attack since 1960s. 

Subjects that are popular today include those that equip students with professional and technical skills. Liberal art is on its way out and this is a sad state of affairs. Intellectual lives of students are no more enriched and students who pass out with a degree are left footing the student loans. it is time to do something and bring about a much needed balance.  The bubble is all set to burst in spite of Obama’s billions as it is nothing but hot air that continues to expand.