Education Equity

1.Defining Equity in Education

Equity in education has two dimensions. The first is fairness, which implies ensuring that personal and social circumstances – for example gender, socio-economic status or ethnic origin – should not be an obstacle to achieving educational potential.

The second is inclusion, which implies ensuring a basic minimum standard of education for all – for example that everyone should be able to read, write and do simple arithmetic. The two dimensions are closely intertwined: tackling school failure helps to overcome the effects of social deprivation which often causes school failure. (http://www.oecd.org/edu/school/39676364.pdf)

So, when we talk of education equity, we talk about taking care of all the basic needs of the people, who are at one or the other disadvantage, so that education can become a priority for them . and then providing them with good education so that they have a chance to coming up in society, living a better life and propagating to further generations.

2.There can be different reasons for the need of education equities.

2.1. Racial Equity in Education:

Racial equity in education is a measure of achievement, fairness and opportunity in a racially diverse environment, wherein the aim is to reduce the social inequity for eg: Minority students may be disadvantaged by preexisting bias and prejudice in a society, with both conscious and unconscious discrimination surfacing in public schools in ways that adversely affect learning acquisition, academic achievement, educational aspirations, and post-graduation opportunities. While not always the case, inequity in education is most commonly associated with groups that have suffered from discrimination related to their race, ethnicity, nationality, language, religion, class, gender, sexual orientation, or disabilities

2.2. Socio economic Equity in Education

Socioeconomic equity in education is a measure of achievement, fairness and opportunity in a economically diverse environment

Due to difference in income of individuals, the cost of education plays an important role for the socio economic equity in education. The ones with higher income tend to provide for their children /wards better opportunities in education. Being able to provide the best tuition and other necessities to rise up even more in society. So, the educational facilities that have higher fees structures are normally availed by higher income groups. And in the same tone, to provide for the economically rich society. A very high achiever belonging to a lower income group will not get the same opportunities as his counter part in the higher income group. Not only tuition but important aides like transportation, study material etc. will not be available for his easily.

2.3. Gender Equity in Education

Gender equity in education is a measure of achievement, fairness and opportunity in a gender discriminatory culture.Even today, there is a huge discrimination for the providence of education depending on gender. In the developing countries, the masses as a whole feel that Girl child has more uses than to waste time in educating them. Thus, the discrimination. So, there arises a huge need for Gender Equity in Education. The role of women in national development could not have been aptly captured in any other way than when Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General stated at the World Education Forum in 2000 that;

“No development strategy is better than one that involves women as central players. It has immediate benefits for nutrition, health, savings, and reinvestment at the family, community, and ultimately, country level. In other words, educating girls is a social development policy that works. It is a long-term investment that yields an exceptionally high return…. We need those with power to change things to come together in an alliance for girls’ education: governments, voluntary progressive groups, and above all, local communities, schools, and families”.

3.The challenges of Education Equity are many

The most important one being the cost involved. The economical divide between individuals have increased and will keep on increasing with time. As a result providing social statures, welfare, medical and other necessities of life to such a large group of people is difficult and time consuming. It seems to be a vicious cycle wherein education can provide better job opportunities, better living conditions etc and to get that education you need to have a steady income which in turn is the main problem.

Another major problem is the fast and huge immigration of different class and race of people to wide and far places thus increasing racial and economical differences. Even though so many private, government and Non profit organizations are working towards education equity, the number of people moving away from their native place creates a huge challenge.

4. SOLUTIONS

There can be a number of solutions, long term and short tern, attributed to different players of society which can make education equity easier.

The main players being:

1.     Schools

2.     Teachers

3.     Governments

4.     Society

4.1  For school:

 Inculcation of anti racial discrimination lesson, taught normally in school can help. Racism should be looked down upon by the whole school at large. All MEN Equal should be the unwritten motto followed in the school culture. This can handle racial equity in education.

The school should recruit, employ, support and retain racially and linguistically diverse and culturally competent administrative, instructional and support personnel, and shall provide professional development to strengthen employees’ knowledge and skills for eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in achievement.  
  
 All staff and students should be given the opportunity to understand racial identity, and the impact of their own racial identity on themselves and others. 

Schools should welcome and empower families, including underrepresented families (including those whose first language may not be English) as essential partners in their student’s education, school planning and District decision-making. Schools should create welcoming environments that reflect and support the racial and ethnic diversity of the student population and community.

 To cure economical equity in education by schools, compulsory uniforms can go a long long way. The moment the students are allowed to display their affluence , is when the discrimination starts and then festers in other kinds of discriminations. If everyone is in the same dress, made from the same material, costing the same for everyone, the economic level of everyone looks to be the same and thus gives lesser chance of weaker sections to be exploited.

4.2 For teachers:

Nothing in school is possible without the teachers help and coordination. It is first for the teachers to be anti racism before it can be extended to the students. No amount of policies and lesson could be successful if the teacher herself does not believe in it. So first and foremost, anti racism and anti economic discrimination should first be added on teachers training programs. The far reaching negative effects of discrimination of any kinds on individuals, not only students, should be inculcated in them.

Secondly, every teacher should be aware of any kind of bullying happening around them. They should feel responsible for the safety, security and well being of every student and safe guard them from any kind of discriminations.

4.3 For Government:

The policies, rules and laws should be the same for everyone. Government should be ready to invest heavily in the primary education for all. There should be policies in place for helping the weaker parts of society and made sure they get there privileges easily and quickly. It should be the governments responsibility and priority to look after the immigrants and the minority groups. Their security, if upheld properly by the government, can eliminate discriminations and promote education equity in all strata of society.

Another way Government can help by investing in adult education of the country. It is seen very less that an uneducated parent know the importance of education. Normally the view point is, I did not waste time in education so my child does not need to as well, especially the girl child. So if the government can invest in adult education, the importance of education can be understood. Hence, the parents will have a priority to send the children to school.

4.4 For society:

It is said, God help those who help themselves. Each member of the society is responsible for being just and fair. Each one of us can change our individual perspective about the different levels of society and be tolerant to the weak, poor, different and outsider. If each one of us become acceptable to the others origin, beliefs and economic levels, not only education, but a lot of other problems, that our world is facing today can be eliminated.

5. In order to Develop Education Equity a lot of organizations and NGOs have tried to help. Some of them have been existing for a long time and have presence in nearly all the developing countries and thus their contribution is major. Some of the organizations are discussed below.

5.1 UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN EMERGENCY FUND (UNICEF):

The United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is a nonprofit organization. It was created in 1946 to help children in war-torn Europe, China, and the Middle East, but now addresses the needs of the children in any part of the developing world. UNICEF is financially supported by voluntary contributions of governments, non-government organizations, foundations, corporations, and individuals.

UNICEF is committed in ensuring that all children, regardless of gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic background or circumstances – realize their right to a quality education. To that end, UNICEF supports innovative programs and initiatives that focus on the world’s most excluded and vulnerable children, including girls, the disabled, ethnic minorities, the rural and urban poor, victims of conflict and natural disasters and children affected by HIV and AIDS.

https://vimeo.com/81586632

It has quiet a few programs that address part of high education equity:

1.     Let Us Learn, which is run in in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Liberia, Madagascar and Nepal, addresses the specific needs of these children by focusing on three pillars aimed at addressing inequalities in education: reaching out-of-school children, expanding girls’ education and improving quality outcomes for learners.

2.     In Tanzania, UNICEF support education systems capacity development, by enhancing learning and the school environment and focusing on equity, gender and life skills.

What I learned from this site was that UNICEF is SEE. It is a comprehensive programe called Simulation For Equity in Education. Which aims to eventually bring an equilibrium between the various discripants of society.

5.2 UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANISATION (UNESCO)

Created in 1945, UNESCO was created with the firm belief of nations, that political and economic agreements are not enough to build a lasting peace. Peace must be established on the basis of humanity’s moral and intellectual solidarity.

UNESCO strives to build networks among nations that enable this kind of solidarity, by:

• Mobilizing for education: so that every child, boy or girl, has access to quality education as a fundamental human right and as a prerequisite for human development.
• Building intercultural understanding: through protection of heritage and support for cultural diversity. UNESCO created the idea of World Heritage to protect sites of outstanding universal value.
• Pursuing scientific cooperation: such as early warning systems for tsunamis or trans-boundary water management agreements, to strengthen ties between nations and societies.
• Protecting freedom of expression: an essential condition for democracy, development and human dignity.

AT UNESCO ,World Education Forum 2015,19-22 May 2015, Incheon, Republic of Korea the aim was:

“Equitable and inclusive quality education and lifelong learning for all by 2030.
Transforming lives through education”

Wherein the following definition was given:

Equity in education is the means to achieving equality. It intends to provide the best opportunities for all students to achieve their full potential and act to address instances of disadvantage which restrict educational achievement.  It involves special treatment/action taken to reverse the historical and social disadvantages that prevent learners from accessing and benefiting from education on equal grounds.  Equity measures are not fair per se but are implemented to ensure fairness and equality of outcome. 

Girls and women still constitute the majority of out-of-school children and illiterate adults, and their learning opportunities are compromised by a number of in-school and out-of-school factors.

(http://en.unesco.org/world-education-forum-2015/5-key-themes/equity-education)

What I learnt from this website was that UNESCO is striving to give quality education and learning to all by 2030, in order to transform lives through education.

5.3 The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Posted by JD Hull at November 29, 2011 06:02 PM

The mission of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.

The OECD provides a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems, it is also the driving prganisiation for PISA(Program for Student assessment) which measures Equity in Education. ,(http://www.oecd.org/about/)

OECD sets international standards on a wide range of things, from agriculture and tax to the safety of chemicals and in this regard have set standards for measurement of Education equity.

Why does equity in education matter?

The benefits from education are large. In the United States, for example,workers with tertiary qualifications earn more than double the income of those with no post-compulsory qualifications. Education is associated with better health, a longer life, successful parenting and civic participation. Fair and inclusive education is one of the most powerful levers available to make society more equitable.


Fair and inclusive education is desirable because:

•   There is a human rights imperative for people to be able to develop their

•   capacities and participate fully in society. The right to education is

•   recognised, for example, in the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of

•   the Child and in the constitution of most nations.

•   The long-term social and financial costs of educational failure are high.

•   Those without the skills to participate socially and economically generate

•   higher costs for health, income support, child welfare and security.

•   Increased migration poses new challenges for social cohesion in some

•   countries while other countries face long-standing issues of integrating

•   minorities. Fair and inclusive education for migrants and minorities is a key

to these challenges. Equity in education enhances social cohesion and trust.

(http://www.oecd.org/edu/school/nomorefailurestenstepstoequityineducation.htm)

(http://www.oecd.org/education/school/39989494.pdf)

What I learned from this website is that OCED and its associate organization CERI are the primary organizations in the world that are standardizing and quantifying equity in education.

5.4 GLOBAL PARTNERS FOR EDUCATION (GPE):

GPE Supports 60 developing countries to ensure that every child revives basic quality education, prioritizing the poorest, most vulnerable and those living in fragile and conflict affected countries.

GPE Policy is to make it possible for all children, including the poorest and most marginalized, to attend school and receive a quality education. That's why they support developing countries from the design of their education sector plan to its funding, implementation, and evaluation in the following steps:

1.     Working with a Local Education Group ·

2.     Building a team and designing a plan ·

3.      Financing and implementing the plan ·

4.      Monitoring and measuring results ·

5.      Capturing and sharing knowledge

( source:  http://www.globalpartnership.org/what-we-do)

 ( source: http://www.globalpartnership.org/blog)

What I learnt from this website is that GRE operates in the country of my residence, Ghana, and has helped in revamping the education system in partnership with the government and other stakeholders.

IN CONCLUSION, I feel education is definitely a birth right of every child born, and education equity is one of the way we can move towards achieving this quiet a difficult and a humungus task with huge number of children born in dirt poverty in far reaches of the earth, wherein even the minimal living necessities are not available. M people in many oraganizations are doing lots of work towards it but still, many more people and other resources are continuously required to reach a this rather difficult goal.