In South Africa, the quality of education that children receive is determined by their income group. In an article for the Rand Daily Mail, Gavin Keeton looked closely at the interplay of economic inequality with both educational inequality and economic growth.
In the article, Keeton looks at studies of inequality and economic growth worldwide. It is generally believed by theorists and analysts that a period of inequality in society is inevitable for economic growth to occur.
However, a recent study shows that for inequality to be addressed, the education of poorer individuals needs to be invested in. Not developing human capital in this way will ultimately retard economic growth. In South Africa, where both inequality and education are serious issues, these findings are invaluable.
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The 2014 matric results starkly confirm the continued importance of income to education achievement in SA. In Grahamstown, educationist Ashley Westaway shows that a grade 12 learner at the three fee-paying public schools had a three in four chance of obtaining a bachelor-level pass last year. The majority of learners in the city, who attend no-fee schools, had only a one in seven chance of achieving the same qualification.
Nationally, half of bachelor passes last year were obtained by the quarter of schools classified as more resourced, or private schools writing the government’s national senior certificate exams. With the steady deracialisation of the stronger government schools, the barriers to good education are no longer those of race, but income.
Book details
- Academic Interaction with Social Partners : Investigating the contribution of universities to economic and social development by Glenda Kruss, Mariette Visser, Mogau Aphane, Genevieve Haupt
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EAN: 9780796923899
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EAN: 9780796924018
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- Community, Self and Identity: Educating South African university students for citizenship edited by Brenda Leibowitz, Leslie Swartz, Vivienne Bozalek, Ronelle Carolissen, Lindsey Nicholls, Poul Rohleder
EAN: 9780796923981
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- The Low Achievement Trap: Comparing Schools in Botswana and South Africa edited by Martin Carnoy, Linda Chisholm, Bagela Chilisa
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EAN: 9780796923684
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