Examine the problems of the current educational system that restricts tertiary educational devel-

opment and skills/vocational training.

Today's schools and universities face a never-before-seen set of difficulties and dangers,
including, but not limited to, declining enrolment, growing expenses and student debt,
developing college alternatives, and so on.

Enrolment Declines
The most concerning trend is that fewer individuals want what higher education has to offer.
This fall continues a trend that began in 2011. Since then, enrolment has dropped by 12.3%. The
pandemic intensified this trend: from 2019 to 2021, undergraduate enrolment fell 6.6%, resulting
in the loss of about a million students. Community colleges were particularly heavily impacted,
with a 13% reduction over that time period. Male students, in particular, are becoming
increasingly difficult to find. Enrolment of first-time male students was seven times that of
female students, indicating that young men are growing increasingly interested in employment in
trades that do not require a college degree.

Unaffordable Cost
"In the present economic climate, colleges are suffering significant budget strain as they are
being expected to deliver new services to satisfy the demands of even more diverse students,"
says a university official. The high tuition cost of the private institutions causes a financial strain
and great difficulties to the lower class families to attain higher education. Poor families in
developing countries cannot afford to send their children to school. The expense of attending a
four-year college full-time has increased by more than 180%, and room and board prices have
also climbed considerably. Leading to students loans which families would sacrifice for children
but there is always a big challenge in not meeting the requirements.

Student Debt
Those who do choose to attend are taking on more debt. Graduating with an average debt
balance of more than $1.3 million, financially cripples young adults hoping to buy a home, get
married, and raise a family. Millions of prospective students are weighing their post-high school
options more carefully and, increasingly, choosing paths other than college.

Location
In many locations, there are no schools, despite the urge to attend school, some places lack a
local school. Some students are unable to attend school due to distance, and others may not have
enough money to rent an apartment. These locations are frequently in the countryside, where
residences are miles apart.

(Drozdowski, 2022) (Srivastava, 2020) (Herbert, n.d.)