College Will Soon Be Cheaper, More Accessible, Says Education Secretary

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 5:57PM
Staff in Frontpage 1, News/Commentary, Pell grant, chingyu Wang, reconciliation, student loan

By Chingyu Wang-Talk Radio News Service

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan touted recent changes to the education system Tuesday after President Barack Obama signed the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act.

Duncan, who spoke with reporters in a conference call, pointed to the expansion of Pell Grants as a major change and stressed that it will make college drastically cheaper and more accessible.

“Students are going to receive more Pell Grants,” said Duncan. “You can literally going to school for free with these Pell Grants.”

Duncan also explained that Americans who choose a career in public service will receive benefits.

"If you go into public service... after 10 years of public service work, all of your debt will be forgiven.”

Director of the Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes, who joined Duncan in Tuesday's call, outlined the Obama administration's long-term aim for education.

“[President Obama's] goal is that the nation should graduate the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by the year 2020,” Barnes said.

Article originally appeared on Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media (http://www.talkradionews.com/).