Abstract
Ukrainian educational system is not able to provide equal access to the university, regardless of children’s socio-economic background. Despite of the anti-discrimination ideas in legislation and in public discourse (with implementation of transparent mechanism of selection in 2004 - External Independent Testing), there are statistically significant differences in the results of EIT (that defines chances to get higher education) between children from rural area and their peers from urban schools (especially from elite ones). The research is based on Bourdieu’s theoretical concept of capitals and seven in-depth interviews with teachers from rural schools in different regions of Ukraine. Based on the findings, the author divides mechanisms of reproduction of educational inequality into four dimensions: economic capital of the school, economic capital of the family, cultural capital of the school and cultural capital of the family. Current educational reforms of secondary and higher education in Ukraine will not improve situation with access to higher education for children from poor social background. Closing of unprofitable universities and schools in rural area, expending the years of studying at school and implementation on funding reallocation based on a competition with financial support only of those, who are more successful, will deepen educational inequality, making accesses to the mechanism of improving socio-economic position even more dependent from socio-economic background.
Highlights
Current educational policy in Ukraine becomes more and more oriented on transformation of higher education system based on the Anglo-American liberal model: closing of non-profitable schools and universities, widening of private expenditures on education and stimulation of competition between educational institutions and among students for public financial support
Despite the common misconception that free higher education in Ukraine provides equal access for youngsters from different social backgrounds, statistics shows that youth from rural areas perform worse in External Independent Testing[1] than their peers from urban elite schools by more than 10 points, and that significantly reduces their chances to get higher education and improve their socio-economic positions in a social structure (Table 1)
It is convenient for kids that live in cities; our children have no such opportunity, as their classes end at 3 o’clock, which leaves no time for getting to the training courses in big city.” (Kobleve, Mykolaivs’ka oblast) limited financial resources and lack of additional funding for the preparation for External Independent Testing (EIT) in rural area are accompanied by the need to conquer long distances
Summary
Current educational policy in Ukraine becomes more and more oriented on transformation of higher education system based on the Anglo-American liberal model: closing of non-profitable schools and universities, widening of private expenditures on education and stimulation of competition between educational institutions and among students for public financial support. Viktoriia Muliavka, Master student in Economy and Society at Graduate School for Social Research, Poland Based on the in-depth interview with teachers from rural schools and theoretical concept of cultural and economic capital (Bourdieu, 1979; Bourdieu, 1998), the research aims to describe the mechanisms of reproduction of educational inequality in Ukrainian context and problematize possible social consequences of current neoliberal reforms for youngsters from rural area, one of the most vulnerable category of Ukrainian society
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