The deal between the government and private colleges is that those private colleges are training our critical workforce and adding net value back into the system by increasing lifetime earnings and economic growth. The government guarantee on debt dollars right now is absolute. Schools get paid no matter what, and have no liability for actually providing an ultimately valuable service. Here’s an alternate arrangement…
Source? As far as I can tell, some genius politicians figured out they can lower taxes or keep taxes low by removing and reducing taxpayer funding for colleges, and replacing it with free non dischargeable loans for anyone who can fill out the FAFSA.
There is no altruism in saddling kids with debt rather than paying for schooling with tax money.