Freedom is necessary in order for students to develop their own sense of responsibility. Only when students experience the freedom to take on responsibility, they will learn to appreciate this. For education to lead to emancipation, students need to have the freedom to enter the education programme they deem necessary. Added to that, students need to be free in choosing where to study and housing must be available in their preferred student city. Furthermore, students must be free to, without any form of prejudice, partake in the education community and to stay true to themselves without the requirement to adjust to the education committee.
Critical thinking will only function in an environment that is free, in order for you to express your thoughts without facing prejudice, without fear of repercussions and without persecution. Education will only lead to diversity when the freedom exists to bring forth diverse perspectives. And, as has been stated before, freedom will enable students to be themselves, which is also a condition for diversity.
It is of the utmost importance that students are free in the choice of their own studies, but they should also have the freedom to choose their courses and how to compose their curriculum during their studies. With this, it is essential that students are fully and sufficiently informed about the learning goals and learning outcomes of the education programme and the associated courses.
Students are only truly able to self develop when they are free to choose that which matches their needs. It is therefore of importance that all disciplines, big and small, in all phases of higher education remain a subject of the study programme. Additionally, it is important that students have the freedom to be critical towards the institution itself and are able to indicate what they think are points of improvement.
Studying without obstacles
The LSVb advocates for studying without obstacles. This means that students are to no extent forced to finish their studies in a fast(er) fashion. Students need to be given the room to make mistakes, develop new interests and given the opportunity to simply make a wrong choice. Choices made by the government and education institutions should never be founded on financial reasons. Students that want to study faster should, however, equally be given the room to do so. Ultimately, the choice lies in the student’s hands.
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