If the PEF were applied to college education how many are qualified to enter college? Who would do the screening to determine whether the degree is benefical and the loan could be repaid after the degree is received. And who determines where the applicant could go to school. I’m sure if they could, most would want to come to America and be educated.

And is a Bachlor’s degree really that valuable? Becoming a Dr. or lawyer requires much more. Where does this stop?

I always thought of it as a microcredit program.

It sounds like an alternative late 20th Century. Struggling nations were offered development loans but only accepted what they could sensibly use to improve themselves. Last month, a big world-wide concert was held to celebrate how the struggling nations had wisely avoided piling a mountain of crippling debt upon themselves.

The concern is that people do want university education for economically rational reasons but that the PEF doesn’t help meet these desires. Again, this is speculation based on a few anecdotes–but I can propose a simple experiment. Open the PEF to university education and see if anyone applies. If they do, then they want a university degree. This doesn’t have to be a decision on the part of the central church. Local people can decide for themselves if the program is more open.

Why do y’all want to impose a U.S./Western based model for opportunity upon those living in other countries that have different cultural and economic systems?

No, I am not adapting the “Mexico” (or insert any other non-Western country here) is too static for socio-economic advancement.

However, y’all are assuming that a university education is the ticket in other countries.

While it is probably the most _likely_ ticket in W. Economies, it certainly doesn’t work that way in most of the rest of the world.

So, at least for a few moments, let us put on our marxist/imperialist/colonialist studies hats and ponder whether
the PEF was designed (maybe even with inspiration?) for the countries where it exists that don’t have a large quantity of jobs which require college degrees; but do have tons of jobs based on manufacturing and trade school type knowledge?

sidenote: at least in Europe, lots of kids don’t get a college education, but are sent/choose to go to trade schools instead. why is this? are the EU governments “buying” into the class system and perpetuating it?

You are obviously a better listener than I am. And a better listener than anyone I’ve spoken to about this, since they’ve all been under the wrong impression. I don’t think anything is being hidden, I just think we’re hearing what we want to.

I really doubt your 50:1 ratio, but a 5:1 or even 10:1 wouldn’t surprise me.

I really don’t think that the subsidization of schools run by the Church is irrelevant.

Fast, high impact, low cost. So, one kid to college for four years or fifty to trade schools? The program is very pragmatic.

As for BYU, the whole concept is different, different purposes, often thought about and considered. Should BYU turn into an LDS USC or SMU? There is enough mass in the Church for that to happen. It would solidify and create class boundaries in the Church like nothing before or since. That has been rejected since the 1970s.

Anyway, the PEF has been strongly and honestly described over and over again.

My two bits.

A man at the Library said that they did not have any records of the people who received PEF assistance, but there was a roster of all the Saints whose PEF debts were forgiven in a Jubilee in 1877. He also said that a large percentage of the loans were never repaid.

Assuming that he had his facts right, it may be that the experience with the PEF in the 19th century is informing the brethren’s policy with the new PEF. Keep the amounts of debt small, and increase the chance that the debts will be paid.

(I was pleased, by the way, that my ancestors were not on the list of those who did not repay their debts.)