What influences inequalities in education

It has been proven that when society is educated, literate and has equal / fair access to education for everyone, a state and society benefit from it. The state and society benefit from it economically. Better educated people are more employable. Moreover, educated people are more resistant against manipulation and “unreasonable and stupid” life choices.

On the other hand, if there are disparities in an access to education and education is not accessible to everybody at the same level of quality, it has negative effects on society holistically. Less educated people are less employable. It is easier to manipulate them. They may make “unreasonable and stupid” life choices. That is the reason why disparities an access to in education can have an impact on sustainability of the whole society.

How do these disparities come to existence, what influences them and how to solve the problem? Continue reading to find out and to become wiser.

Bad family background

The first aspect which influences access to education and school output of pupils is a social and economic background of a family. If the family has low wages, moves a lot and doesn’t have stable family background, there is a higher probability that the pupils won’t be as successful at school as their counterparts from well-off families. The social side is whether pupils are supported and encouraged by their parents to study. Another thing is whether parents can help pupils with their homework and offer them support during studying.

On the other hand, children coming from rich families, whose parents have studied university themselves or are successful entrepreneurs, more probably put pressure on their children to attain better education. The fact that rich parents have more money means they can afford to pay high tuition fees for private and elite schools with better management, better teachers and better equipment. There is also a higher chance of befriending children of successful parents. It can be an advantage when looking for an employment / starting a business.

It can be quite different in a lower social class. Parents of children from a poor family background can be junkies, criminals and poor people. The only thing it may matter to them is to survive. Instead of having good social connections and friends, you may be misused/exploited and have your belongings stolen.

Uneven financing of regions

Schools in specific regions and districts can get less money which causes them not being able to afford quality space (buildings and classrooms), teaching materials and teachers. There is a high proportion of intellectuals in Prague and Brno. More money flows to Prague and Brno. These two things have good impact on the quality of education and a background of schools. However, it can be much worse in Moravskoslezsky district or Ustecky district.

Even though, financing schools is relatively proportionate (equal) in comparison with foreign countries (the USA), this aspect can’t avoid my scrutiny. There are always people who decide how much money and opportunities go to which schools. These people with decision power can think this way: “This region is no good, only criminals live out there,” which can influence how much money is attributed to which school.

There are extreme differences in the United States of America. Schools located in districts with bad reputation receive less money. It lowers quality of teachers, school equipment and employment opportunities. In addition, this pattern repeats itself in cycles from a generation to a generation.

Financial demands of studying

This paragraph relates to university education. I will compare economic demands of universities in the Czech Republic, the Great Britain and the USA.

Expenditure for food and accommodation are excluded from calculations below because you must eat and have a shelter irrespective if you study at university or not. Only money needed for tuitions are included.

Universities in the Czech Republic are free of charge. You have up to 4 years of studies of a bachelor’s degree and up to 3 years of a master’s degree for free.

It is necessary to pay a tuition for university studies in the Great Britain. A year (2 semesters) of university studies costs 11 125 €. A three-year bachelors’ degree costs 33 375 €. There are student loans in the UK which can cover tuitions. The advantage of them is that after successfully finishing your degree, you pay your loan back only if you earn above a certain salary. If you don’t earn enough, you don’t pay it back. It means you don’t have to go bankrupt because of it.

There are public and private universities in the United States of America. A tuition for a year of studies (2 semesters) is between 8 900 € and 31 170 € for a public university. A three-year bachelors’ degree costs between 26 700 € and 93 510 €.

It is very good in the Czech Republic in comparison with the United States of America. Your parents must be quite rich for you to be able to study at university in the USA.

General values of society

There are general underlying values of society which also influence exclusion from education. There are among them: social welfare, universal healthcare and solidarity among members of society.

The Czech Republic, Finland and most European union countries are quite excellent is this respect. If the aforementioned general values of society are offered to citizens, it lowers social exclusion and disparities of opportunities in education.

On the other hand, the opposite extreme is the United States of America. The USA doesn’t have universal social healthcare as we know it in Europe. It means that even a short illness, an operation or a stay at hospital can ruin you financially.

Social welfare and social benefits are minimal. The American society is based on a personal gain of an individual. These factors separate society into classes. The result is that those who already have a lot of money get even better education and more money, prestige and better connections. On the other hand, those who don’t have money practically don’t have a chance to move up the social ladder. It extends/widens social exclusion and deepens disparities of opportunities in education in society.

Conclusion

Based the aspects described above having an impact on disparities of opportunities in education and social exclusion, it is possible to conclude that for society to blossom, it is the best: To have a prosocial attitude which doesn’t revolve around personal financial gain so much. Unpaid university education which allows access to tertiary education to all regardless of a financial status of their families. And lastly, to finance schools in all regions evenly.

How to solve the issue of families not having enough money and a stable background? I think it is possible to solve it only through small steps from one generation to another. The precondition / perquisite for it to occur is to have good societal values set. The values then influence persuasion / a notion of the families about the importance of education gradually. That is the way how children from families with not so good family background move up the social ladder. Each generation moves up a notch until there won’t be any disparities of opportunities and exclusion in education (And thus in society).

What is your opinion? Have you come across unequal access to opportunities in education? What are the causes how to solve them?