Could it also be the Banker as Investor–that is a banker (and as a balance and also indicator of how we think of bankers, I’ll use male-pronouns) loans out his knowledge (e.g. mortgages) in the belief that the student will be a good investment of HIS time. The end result is a student with the knowledge (owning a house) and being indebted to the banker? It’s one that puts the emphasis on the banker instead of the student.