President Barack Obama delivered a speech at Macomb Community College this past Sept. 9, proposing free community colleges throughout the nation.

Under the president’s proposal students will receive a tuition-free, two-year community college education as long as they’re attending school at least half-time, they maintain a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 and are making steady progress toward a degree. Under this plan, the federal government would cover three-quarters of the cost with the state’s picking up the remaining amount.

Although some people may disapprove of the proposal arguing that the country would lose a lot of money and that offering free community colleges would not necessarily improve our educational system nor guarantee students’ graduation from college, it is definitely a great starting point.

Increasing tuition has been a recurring obstacle for student’s progress toward earning a degree; it has been especially difficult for students coming from a middle-class background whose parents’ income is high enough to make them ineligible for financial aid, but it is still insufficient for them to pay the high amounts of tuition that they are being charged.

There are many benefits of making the first two years of college free. If Obama’s proposal passes more people will be able to attend college and be better prepared upon entering the job market. Free community colleges will allow more people like single parents and people from working class and middle class backgrounds to study at a two-year college and earn their associates degree, a job-training certificate or to transfer to a four-year institution less in-debt.

Investing in higher education is an intelligent decision because it will also make our citizens more educated and more likely to make informed decisions about their community and their country. Better education also means making our citizens more open-minded and more accepting of each other’s differences. In addition, if more people attend college they will have a greater chance of obtaining a more stable and better paying job which will benefit our country’s economy.