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U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan delivers speech at DNC

9/06/12

During the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S Secretary of Education Arne Duncan spoke to a crowd of tens of thousands of supporters eager to re-elect President Barack Obama. Back in July, both Republicans and Democrats looked beyond their political ties to ensure student loan interest rates would not go up, and Duncan believes the key to improving education in the nation is to continually put aside political differences and make decisions based on what Americans need.

"President Obama also knows that higher education is an economic necessity," said Duncan during his speech. "He fought to keep student loan interest rates from going up…He took the big banks out of the federal student loan program and passed billions of dollars in savings on to young people. This year alone, he helped nearly 10 million students afford college."

Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential candidate, also considers education a top priority. According to his website for candidacy, he believes that whether students are studying at a public, private, online or traditional school, higher education should be available to everyone, rather than a luxury only for those who can afford it.

Whether you're a Republican or Democrat, the future of higher education in the U.S. is a hot topic during this election season, as both parties decide the best plan of action to improve colleges and universities across the nation. President Obama has made education one of the most important issues in his campaign, focusing on all age groups and disciplines while highlighting the need for more science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs in schools.

If you're planning on going to school to enroll in technology programs or healthcare programs, you could contribute to a growing need for more workers in these fields. The current administration has made it clear that STEM areas are a top priority for America's education system, particularly because nations like China and India are so far ahead of us in terms of test scores and job placement.

"Right now, we're in a race for jobs and industries of the future," said Duncan. "If countries like China out-educate us today, they'll out-compete us tomorrow."

If you are interested in going back to college for a STEM-related degree or want to know more about financial aid, you can get more tips and advice by downloading BacktoLearn.com's Complete Adult Education Guide.

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