Riaan 
U-Sara Diaz wayephatheke kabi ngesikhathi ebheka i-imeyili yakhe ngoLwesibili. Ubephakathi kwamakhulu abasebenzi bakwaNeiman Marcus abadilizwe ngenyanga edlule futhi wayesanda kuqeda ucingo olwalumcindezela ngomshuwalense wakhe wezempilo.
Wathi ebheka ibhokisi lokungenayo, wabona i-imeyili evela eMnyangweni wezeMfundo. UDiaz wayefake isicelo sokuthi uhulumeni akhansele u-$69,314 esikweletini semali mboleko yabafundi asithatha ukuze aye e-Art Institute of Pittsburgh, isikole esenza inzuzo esivalwe ngo-2019.
Eminyakeni emibili nengxenye, onobhala ababili bezemfundo kanye necala elilodwa lokuthatha isinyathelo kamuva, isicelo sakhe sase sivunyiwe ekugcineni.
“Angizange ngikholwe,” kusho yena. “Ngaphinda ngayifunda izikhathi ezinhlanu.”
Sekungamashumi eminyaka, uhlelo olwaziwa kancane lwabamukeli bemalimboleko yabafundi benhlangano luvumele ababoleki ukuthi baqinisekise ukubuyiselwa kwemali uma isikole sibadukise noma sephule umthetho wezwe. Selokhu uMnyango wezeMfundo wethula isicelo esisemthethweni ngo-2015, bangaphezu kuka-770,000 abantu abafake izicelo. Izicelo ezicishe zibe ingxenye yesigidi bezisalindile ekupheleni kukaJanuwari.
Ngemuva kwesiqalo esizothile ekupheleni komsila wokuphatha kuka-Obama, uhlelo lumile ngaphansi kowayenguMongameli uTrump. Kepha ngaphansi kukaMongameli uBiden, uMnyango wezeMfundo uqinise ukucubungula izicelo zokuvikela ababolekayo, walungisa kabusha imithetho elawula lolu hlelo futhi wayisebenzisa ukukhansela izigidigidi zezikweletu zabantu abafunda ezikoleni ezenza inzuzo abasolwa ngokuqola abafundi.
Kuyingxenye yesu elibanzi abaphathi be-Biden abalisebenzisile ukunikeza usizo lwezikweletu kubaboleki abadonsa kanzima kakhulu ngemali mboleko yabo. Ngesikhathi lapho uhlelo lukaBiden lokukhansela isikweletu esifinyelela ku- $ 20,000 kwabanye ababolekayo luyinto engaqali kuCongress futhi engcupheni yokuvinjwa yiNkantolo Ephakeme, abaphathi bakhe bazamile ukuqinisa iwebhu ekhona yezinhlelo, izinqubomgomo nemithethonqubo eyenzelwe ukuvikela. abafundi ababoleka imali.
UMnyango wezeMfundo usuthethelele ngaphezu kwezigidigidi ezingama- $18 zamarandi kwabafake izicelo zokuvikela ababolekayo kanye nabantu izikole zabo ezivaliwe ngaphambi kokuba baqede iziqu zabo, okuhlanganisa no-$5.8 wezigidigidi kubafundi abangu-560,000 baseKholeji laseCorinthia kanye namaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-3.9 kubaboleki abangu-200,000 ababebhalise e-ITT Technical Institutes.
Okwerekhodi:
9:02 am Mashi 6, 2023Inguqulo yangaphambilini yalesi sihloko ibike ukuthi abantu baseMelika abayizigidi ezingu-43 babambe isamba esingu-$1.6 million esikweletini semalimboleko yabafundi. Labo bantu baseMelika babamba ama- $ 1.6 trillion esikweletini sabafundi sikahulumeni.
Lokho kungaphansi kakhulu kwezindleko zamaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama-400 zohlelo lokusiza izikweletu zeBiden, obeluzokhansela u- $ 10,000 wemali mboleko yabafundi yenhlangano yabantu abenza imali engaphansi kwama- $ 125,000 kanye no- $ 10,000 owengeziwe wabantu abathole izibonelelo zikaPell zabafundi abahola kancane, ngokusho kwesilinganiso esivela ihhovisi le-Congressional Budget. Kubantu baseMelika abayizigidi ezingama-43 abanesamba esingu-$1.6 trillion esikweletini semali mboleko yabafundi, abangama-95% bafanelekile kanti abangama-45% bazosulwa zonke izikweletu zabo.
Isiphetho sohlelo lukaBiden asiqinisekile. Amajaji eNkantolo Ephakeme abonakale enokungabaza NgoLwesibili ngesikhathi belalela izingxabano zomlomo emacaleni amabili aphikisana nomzamo.
Abafundi bangaphambili abafuna intethelelo yezikweletu ngokuvikela umboleki benze kangcono ezinkantolo. NgoNovemba, ijaji lombuso lagunyaza ukuxazululwa kwesinqumo ku-Sweet vs. Cardona, icala eliqhubekayo lesigaba elibhekene noNobhala Bezemfundo u-Betsy DeVos no-Miguel Cardona, ngenxa yokubambezeleka ekucubungulweni kwesicelo sokuvikela umboleki.
“Kusukela ngosuku lokuqala, i-Biden-Harris Administration isebenze ukulungisa izinkinga osekunesikhathi eside eziphathelene nenqubo yokuvikela umboleki,” kusho uCardona esitatimendeni mayelana nesivumelwano. “Siyajabula ukuthi sisebenzisane nabamangali ukuze kufinyelelwe esivumelwaneni esizoletha izigidigidi zamarandi zokukhululeka okuzenzakalelayo.”
Bangaphezu kuka-200,000 abantu ababolekiwe abasohlwini lwabangaphezu kuka Izikole eziyi-150 bazothola ngaphezu kwezigidigidi ezingu-6 zamaRandi ekukhanselwe imali mboleko, okuhlanganisa nokubuyiselwa kwalokho abakukhokhile kanye nemibiko yezikweletu elungisiwe. Abanye abantu abangu-64 000 bazothola impendulo eMnyangweni wezeMfundo mayelana nezicelo zabo ezinyangeni ezizayo, noma bazoxolelwa imali abayibolekile. Yize izikole ezintathu zakhalaza, ijaji laphika isiphakamiso ukuhlehlisa ukuqaliswa kokunxeshezelwa kwababoleki abaningi.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi abaphathi beBiden bayakubona ukuthi kukhona lesi sibopho esingokomthetho [to borrower defense applicants], ngokuthi kufanele kube nenqubo, kufanele ingenzeleli, kufanele ifike ngesikhathi,” kusho u-Eileen Connor, umongameli nomqondisi weProject on Predatory Student Lending. “Abantu abasakwazi ukulinda iminyaka eyisikhombisa, eyisishiyagalombili impilo yabo yonke imisiwe.”
Ngaphambi kokuthi isicelo sakhe sokunxeshezelwa sigunyazwe, uDiaz, 36, uchithe iminyaka engaphezu kwemibili elinde ukubuyekezwa mayelana nesimo esilindile, ebheka njalo ezinyangeni ezintathu.
Uphiko lwe-inthanethi lwe-Art Institute of Pittsburgh bekungeyona inketho yakhe yokuqala, kodwa lubonakala lungcono kakhulu ngaleso sikhathi.
Njengomfundi wesikole samabanga aphezulu eLong Island, uDiaz uthole isitifiketi sokuthengisa ngemfashini esikoleni sokuhweba futhi wamukelwa e-Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising e-Los Angeles. Wabe esekhulelwa ngonyaka wakhe wokugcina futhi “isikole sathatha isihlalo esingemuva kukho konke,” esho. Uchithe iminyaka embalwa elandelayo esebenza emisebenzini yokudayisa neyokuthengisa.
Lapho eneminyaka engaba ngu-20 wayeselungele ukubuyela esikoleni, kodwa wayedinga okuthile okwakuzomvumela ukuthi aqhubeke esebenza, anakekele umndeni wakhe futhi aziphilise kangcono ngemva kwalokho. Wabhalisa ohlelweni lwesikhashana lokufundela ukuthengisa ngemfashini esikhungweni se-Art Institute of Pittsburgh’s online division ngo-2012.
“Kwakukhanga ngoba kwakubonakala sengathi kuyavumelana nesimiso sakho uma ungumuntu … endabeni yami, lapho kufanele usebenze umsebenzi noma imisebenzi emibili, usengakwazi ukusebenzela lowo mgomo wokufinyelela imfundo ephakeme,” wathi.
Kamuva wathola ukuthi umfelandawonye wabameli bombuso iwine isinxephezelo esingu-$102.8-million ngokumelene nenkampani engumzali ye-Art Institutes, i-Education Management Corp., ngo-2015 ngenxa yezinsolo zokuthi inkampani yanyusa amanani ngokungemthetho izinombolo zokuthweswa iziqu nezokuqashwa kwemisebenzi, futhi yasebenzisa amaqhinga okuqasha anonya. Ngo-2019, Izikhungo Zobuciko avale amakhampasi amaninganakanye nesigaba sohlelo lwe-inthanethi u-Diaz abhalise kulo.
“Yilapho ngaqala khona ukucwaninga: Ngingayithola intethelelo?” wathi ngesikweletu sakhe.
Esicelweni sakhe sokuvikela umboleki, u-Diaz wabhala ukuthi umeluleki wokwamukelwa kwe-Art Institute wamtshela ngasekuqaleni kuka-2012 ukuthi u-92% wabafundi abathweswe iziqu bathola imisebenzi phakathi nezinyanga eziyisithupha bethweswe iziqu; ukuthi isikole sizomsiza ukuthi athole i-internship unyaka wakhe wokugcina ozomholela emsebenzini okhokha kakhulu; ukuthi amakhredithi ekilasi lakhe azodluliswa ngokugcwele; nokuthi iningi lezindleko zeziqu zakhe zizokhokhelwa izibonelelo kanye nemalimboleko yabafundi yenhlangano.
Okuningi ayekutsheliwe akuzange kuphumele obala, uDiaz wabhalela uMnyango wezeMfundo. Kwadingeka ayoboleka isikole ngokuqondile phezu kwesikweletu sakhe sikahulumeni. Izikole eziphezulu zemfashini ezihlanganisa i-Parsons School of Design ngeke zamukele amakhredithi ekilasi lakhe. Lapho edonsa kanzima ukuthola izingxoxo zomsebenzi ngemuva kokuphothula iziqu, isikole sathumela imisebenzi ngamaholo angaphansi kuka-$25,000, okungekho neyodwa eyayisemkhakheni wakhe.
“Benginenkinga yokudangala eminyakeni emibili edlule ngoba benginethemba elikhulu futhi ngokubukeka kwami, iziqu zami neminyaka eyi-6 yokusebenza kanzima akusizi ngalutho emsebenzini, ingasaphathwa eyokungisiza ngithole umsebenzi ngenza u-$75k,” UDiaz wabhala esicelweni sakhe. “Akusizi ukuthi isikole sivulelwe icala sivalwe.”
Imboni yangasese eyenza inzuzo kudala igxekwa phezu kwezinqubo ezisetshenziswa ezinye izikole ukuqasha nokugcina abafundi, izinga lemfundo ehlinzekwayo kanye nemiphumela yezezimali yalabo abafundayo. A 2017 ukuhlaziywa yiFederal Reserve Bank yaseNew York ithole ukuthi abafundi basemakolishi enza inzuzo bathatha imali ebolekiwe eyengeziwe futhi banezinga eliphakeme lokungakhokhi kunabafundi basekolishi lomphakathi, okugqugquzelwa izindleko eziphakeme zezikole ezenza inzuzo kanye nemiphumela emibi kakhulu emakethe yemisebenzi.
Uphenyo lukahulumeni nolwenhlangano luthole ubufakazi bokuthi izikole ezimbalwa zalimelela kabi inani labafundi abathole imisebenzi, zisebenzisa amaqhinga okuqasha anolaka noma adukisayo futhi ziqondise abafundi abahola kancane, abambalwa noma abanye abasengozini.
Ngo-2013, ngaleso sikhathi-California Atty. UGen. Kamala Harris umangalele i-Corinthian Colleges Inc., eyisola ngokuhlanekezela amanani okuqashwa kanye nezinhlelo zokukhangisa izikole zayo ebezingazinikezi. Isikhaloecaphuna imibhalo yangaphakathi YeKholeji YaseKorinte, sathi isikole sabona inani labantu esibahlosile “njengabantu ‘abazimele,’ ‘abangenasineke,’ ‘abangazethembi,’ ‘abanabantu abambalwa ababakhathalelayo ekuphileni kwabo.’”
Amaketanga amaningana amakhulu ekolishi enza inzuzo avalwa maphakathi nawo-2010 ngaphansi kwengcindezi yophenyo, ukuxazululwa kwezomthetho kanye nokwehla kokubhalisa, okuhlanganisa namaKholeji ase-Corinthian, afaka isicelo sokuqothuka ngo-2015.
“Umsebenzi wethu uwukuvikela abathengi,” kusho uCalifornia Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta. “Akusilona iphutha labo ukuthi umuntu enze kabi futhi ephule umthetho.”
Ngemuva kokuthi izishoshovu zezikweletu ziqale ukuhlela abafundi ukuthi bafake izicelo zokuvikela ababolekayo, abaphathi baka-Obama baqoke umpetha okhethekile ozosiza ukuhlela inqubo ngoJuni 2015, futhi bethula imithethonqubo esemthethweni ngemuva konyaka. Kepha uMnyango wezeMfundo wathatha indlela entsha yokufaka izicelo zokuvikela ababolekayo ngaphansi kukaMongameli uTrump kanye noNobhala wezeMfundo uDeVos.
I-DeVos ikhethe izikhulu zangaphambili zokwenza inzuzo kwezinye izindima ezibalulekile, okuhlanganisa ukuqasha owayengumphathi weDeVry University ukuhola uphiko lwezomthetho olunikezwe umsebenzi wokuba izikole ezenza inzuzo ziphendule.
Uphinde wazama ukuvimbela ukuqaliswa kwemithetho yokuphatha ka-Obama ka-2016, ethi bathambile futhi bafaka abakhokhi bentela odongeni lwesikweletu esikhanseliwe, ngaphambi kokwethula isethi yakhe yezindinganiso eziqinile zokuvikela umboleki ngo-2019. Sekukonke, ijubane lomboleki ukucubungula isicelo sokuvikela yehliselwe ukuconsaokudala icala elimnandi eliqhathaniswa ne-DeVos.
“UMnyango ushaye indiva inqwaba yokuzivikela kwababolekayo, wehlisa amandla awo okunquma ukuvikela umboleki, futhi waphambukisa izinsiza zawo eziya ngokuya zilinganiselwe ukuze ungawenzi wonke umsebenzi wangaphambilini wokuphatha,” sifundeka isikhalo.
U-Theresa Sweet, ummangali ogama lakhe lingummangali ecaleni, wafaka isicelo sokuvikela umboleki ngo-2016, ngawo lowo nyaka u-alma mater wakhe, i-Brooks Institute of Photography e-Ventura, yavalwa.
“Kuyaxaka, ngoba bengingakaze ngicabange ukuthi ukuba neziqu ze-bachelor kungangibekela imingcele empilweni,” kusho uSweet, umsizi wabahlengikazi wase-Oakland oneminyaka engu-48 othe akakwazanga ukuthola umsebenzi wokuthwebula izithombe ngeziqu zakhe.
Ngokuvumelana ne Isikhalazo sokuqala sikaSweet, izikhulu zeBrooks Institute kusolakala ukuthi zammela kabi, okuhlanganisa nokwenyusa izinga lokuqashwa kwabafundi, zaqamba amanga zithi ngeke kwenyuswe imali yokufunda, zithi isikole siyaqhudelana kanti akunjalo futhi zatshela uSweet ukuthi ngeke abe nenkinga yokukhokha imali ayibolekile. Ukuya e-Brooks Institute “kwakuyiphutha elibi kunawo wonke ekuphileni kukaNksz. Sweet,” kusho isikhalo.
Kubuye kube kubiza kakhulu. U-Sweet ukhiphe u-$46,000 emalimboleko yenhlangano kanye nama- $140,000 emali mboleko yangasese ukuze aye esikoleni. Ulinganisela ibhalansi yakhe yemalimboleko yenhlangano manje isingama- $ 80,000 kanti imali esele yakhe ebolekiwe yangasese – engenazo izivikelo zabathengi zemali mboleko yenhlangano – yayisondele kuhhafu wesigidi samadola lapho ehluleka ukukhokha.
U-Sweet uthole ukuthi indawo yokuhlala isigunyaziwe ngesikhathi esekhaya ekamelweni aliqashile e-Oakland. Ifoni yakhe yaqala ukukhala. Aqale athule, amemeze. Ngemva kwalokho, izinyembezi.
“Ngangihlale nginomuzwa onamandla wokuthi ubulungiswa buphezu kwethu,” kusho yena.
Kungekudala ngemuva kokuthi uDiaz efunde ukuthi imali mboleko yakhe izokhanselwa, wabelane ngalezi zindaba nabalandeli bakhe ku-TikTok. Inqwaba iphendule ngokuthi nabo bathole izindaba zokuthi isikweletu sabo sesiphelile, esho.
“Ngemuva kokuba nomuzwa wokuthi usetshenziswe iminyaka, ukuthola lokho kukhululwa ekugcineni kukwenza kubonakale sengathi bekukufanele,” kusho uDiaz.
