The current situation is a mess, and I don't really know what to say about how to handle it. Maybe the government forgiving it is a good idea. But, moving forward...

Kids: please don't go into debt for education! Go to a community college or a state school. Go part time. Go to a trade school. Start a business (no degree required!) But just try to avoid debt. It's hard to describe exactly how suffocating debt can feel. All those things you want to do when you grow up - debt is going to make most of them harder of impossible.

Parents: if you want to save up and pay for your kids education, I guess that's fine. But if you can't/won't, then it's your responsibility to inform you children about debt.