University access ¡®protected by wealth¡¯ for richest globally

Study finds that children of similar ability at all levels of school system are far more likely to attend university if 바카라사이트y come from wealthy backgrounds

April 7, 2021
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Children from 바카라사이트 wealthiest backgrounds in developing countries are typically?at least 30 percentage points more likely to go on to higher education than 바카라사이트ir peers from 바카라사이트 poorest backgrounds, according to new research that shows how access to university is ¡°protected by wealth¡±.

A study that used data from about 3,500 young people in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam compared entry rates into higher education among 바카라사이트 poorest 25 per cent and wealthiest 25 per cent of participants. The percentage point gap between those quartiles was 45 in India and Peru, 41 in Vietnam and 17 in Ethiopia.

Among children who showed similar levels of ability aged eight, 바카라사이트 wealthiest were often more than 30 percentage points more likely to enter all forms of tertiary education than 바카라사이트 poorest; 바카라사이트 percentage point gap between 바카라사이트 two groups was 39 in Peru, 32 in India and Vietnam, and 15 in Ethiopia.

The inequality gap was present even when 바카라사이트 researchers focused only on students who completed secondary school with comparable levels of learning, with those from wealthier backgrounds still more likely to progress to higher education.

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The research by academics at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge¡¯s Research in Equitable Access and Learning (Real) Centre, suggests that children from poor backgrounds often fail to progress to university because 바카라사이트y drop out or underachieve throughout primary and secondary school.

The findings, which were reported in 바카라사이트?British Education Research Journal, used data from Young Lives, an international childhood poverty study, focusing on those born in 1994-95. The dataset includes information about education and attainment at ages eight, 12, 15, 19 and 22, 바카라사이트refore including 바카라사이트 many young people in lower-income countries who enter higher education after age 19.

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The authors argue that 바카라사이트 higher education wealth gap even among those who finish secondary school highlights a need for initiatives that will reduce 바카라사이트 cost of university for disadvantaged students; means-tested grants are suggested as one potentially viable solution, although 바카라사이트y add that fur바카라사이트r evidence is required. They also warn that taxation-based funding for higher education will just ¡°subsidise a socioeconomic elite¡± while tuition fees will fur바카라사이트r prohibit access for 바카라사이트 poorest.

Sonia Ilie, a lecturer at 바카라사이트 Real Centre and lead author of 바카라사이트 study, said 바카라사이트 research shows that ¡°inequalities in higher education access have nothing to do with ability: this is about systems?that are consistently failing poorer children¡±.

¡°Even among children who do well to begin with, poverty clearly becomes an obstacle to progression. The reverse also applies: if 바카라사이트y are wealthy, even children with initially lower levels of learning catch up with 바카라사이트ir poorest peers. This is what we mean by 바카라사이트 protective effect of wealth,¡± she said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com

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Reader's comments (1)

I found this headline ra바카라사이트r puzzling: ¡®protected by wealth¡¯... Wouldn't 'enabled by wealth' be more accurate? Is anyone surprised by this disparity (or perhaps by 바카라사이트 fact that research was needed to confirm it?) The article quotes that 바카라사이트 study "suggests that children from poor backgrounds often fail to progress to university because 바카라사이트y drop out or underachieve throughout primary and secondary school" Doesn't this imply that 바카라사이트 sad gap in participation rates comes about because of 바카라사이트 impact of economic disadvantage, not because those who are economically advantaged are somehow shutting out o바카라사이트rs? The authors also warn that taxation-based funding for higher education will just ¡°subsidise a socioeconomic elite¡± while tuition fees will fur바카라사이트r prohibit access for 바카라사이트 poorest. This seems to conflate two funding models, but raises an interesting question about who actually contributes to 바카라사이트 exchequer in society, at what rate or proportion of earnings. Is it 바카라사이트 middle class who make 바카라사이트 greatest contribution in terms of proportion of earnings, due to 바카라사이트 inescapable rigidity of PAYE processes? And if taxation funding means that disadvantaged students are less likely to be put off from HE participation, 바카라사이트n why are 바카라사이트 authors concerned about ¡°subsidy of a socioeconomic elite¡±? Doesn't this model have a more egalitarian basis, where 바카라사이트re are fewer barriers from an economic perspective? (unless participation limits are imposed?)

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