On Sun, Sep 28, 2008 at 9:16 AM, Martin Senftleben <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > As a German living in Germany and having 4 kids, I would like to > correct the statement: > in Germany, sending kids to school is basically free, but still costs > quite a bit. We spend several 100s of Euro each year for our school > going kids. These are expenditures that are raised by the school > individually, for fotocopies and other material, for school books and > for some specials provided to the kids etc. > Going to university is then connected with higher costs: our son who > is studying engineering has to pay almost 800 Euro every semester > (i.e. we have to pay it). He has to pay separately for food (it's > comparatively cheep, though), and living cost is not included, of > course. He can still stay at home, but if he would live elsewhere, we > would have to spend additionally some 500 Euro, maybe even more, per > month. That are amounts which many parents can't afford. The so > called BAfoeG (some support by the government) is partly (about 50%) > a loan which has to be paid back after a certain time when the > studies are completed. It is not given to everyone. If parents earn > sufficiently, you don't get it. If the student has some money saved > (more than 5000 Euro), he has to spend everything that goes beyond > that limit before he is considered worthy to receive BAfoeG.
That makes sense. I would not expect the govt (read taxpayers money) to fund individual eclectic tastes, although canteen food is not exactly fine dining; clothes, where labels are way cooler than khadi kurtas; living in malabar hill (a posh piece of RE in Mumbai) pushes one's social status to the stratosphere; and then there is the question of appropriate transport to attend college; and individual entertainment/other personal expenses. In any state sponsored education scheme, I draw the line at tution fee. .
