Inequality In Schools Research Articles

La pedagogía del obrero: Francisco Gavidia y la educación pública primaria, El Salvador 1896-1898

The article analyzes the changes on elementary public education performed by Gavidia when he was appointed as General Director of Elementary Public Education during General Rafael Antonio Gutiérrez administration (1894-1898). The research reveals that those changes redirected the model of citizen that the Salvadoran State intended to form at schools: Instead of an illustrated citizen, the new education opted for a worker citizen, which fitted in a time on which the urban spaces and working class increased. Gavidia served for a little time as General Director of Elementary Public Education. Nevertheless, this research proves that, in spite of it, his influence endured during the following administrations. The article concludes with a critical approach to some aspects of elementary public education that generated inequity and economic precariousness in Salvadoran schools. Realidad, Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, No. 164, 2024: 12-38.

Exploring Intersectionality Inequalities in Junior Secondary Schools in Guangdong Province, China: Causes and Analysis of the Achievement Gap

This study explores the cross-inequality in junior middle schools in China and Guangdong Province, paying special attention to the causes and analysis of the academic achievement gap. Through the discussion of the theory of socio-demographic differences and intersection, this paper reveals the complex influence of multiple social identities such as socio-economic status, gender and race on students' educational experience and academic performance. It is found that the uneven distribution of educational resources in different schools in Guangdong Province and the socio-economic background of parents have significantly affected students' academic achievements. In addition, this paper also discusses the possibility of promoting educational equity through educational policy intervention, such as resource allocation, teacher training and curriculum reform. This paper aims to provide a new perspective for reducing the inequality in the education system, and suggests further research to understand and solve these complex educational inequalities more comprehensively

Tracking and social inequalities in school belonging - A difference-in-differences approach

Drawing on ten studies from PIRLS, PISA and TIMSS, we study social inequalities in school belonging in the context of early tracking. We investigate whether a) there are social inequalities in school belonging b) early tracking has an effect on levels of school belonging c) tracking exacerbates social inequalities with respect to school belonging. We constructed a large database which covers a wide range of countries and representative student populations in both primary and secondary schools. We exploit that no country tracks their students in primary school and use a difference-in-differences approach to study the effect of tracking. Our findings show a positive association between students’ socioeconomic status and school belonging but no effect for tracking. Likewise, we found no evidence that tracking exacerbates social inequalities in school belonging. Multiverse analysis underlines the general robustness of these findings.

교육적 이상향으로서 인문주의에 나타난 ‘안과 밖’의 모순 - 독일 교양시민계층의 사례와 정전(正典) 논쟁을 중심으로

This thesis focuses on two historical cases by comparing the contradiction between the ideal of humanistic education and its realization in the concept of dialectical logic to the inner and outer. The first inside and outside is the socio-political consequence of the Bildung concept, which is the German typical of modern humanist educational ideology, and the educated middle class, which has made it a group identity. The result of the neo-humanistic educational ideals and the instrumentalization of education understood by the German educated middle class shows the modern origin of class inequality in schooling, which is a drastic problem in modern capitalist society. The second contradiction is that between the inner logic of European tradition and values, and the outer logic of non-European perspectives. Humanism has regarded the power-guaranteed classics, called canon, as an absolute value transcending time and society. However, since the middle of the 20th century, the discourse of diversity driven by multiculturalism, criticism of orientalism, feminism, and political correctness debate have raised questions about the canonization itself. Humanism tried to preserve its content value as a European heritage, but from the outside, charges of Eurocentrism were accused. The contradictory attributes of humanism are related to the aporia of discord between the ideology of education and reality.

Fuel to the fire: Gender inequality in achievement in secondary school national examination in conflict-affected areas, North Wollo Zone, Northeast Ethiopia

Government reforms such as the general education quality improvement program for equity are implemented to address concerns about educational inequality. However, studies advancing understanding of the patterns of gender inequality in achievement in conflict affected areas are rare. The purpose of this article is to examine patterns in gender inequality in General Secondary Education Certificate Examination results in Math, English, and Aptitude for 2021, 2022 and 2023 academic years in conflict affected areas. The data consist of achievement scores from 45 schools and a total of 32,528 students, obtained from the Education office of North Wollo Zone, Northeast Ethiopia. Using multilevel modeling, within- and between-school inequalities, achievement inequalities in gender, effects of teacher qualifications on achievement, and variations in gender-achievement relationships are examined. Student performance has been found to have consistently declined in the last two years in math, English and aptitude scores. On average, boys perform significantly higher than girls on these subjects consistently during the normal and conflict seasons. Inequality has decreased in conjunction with declining student performance, and inequalities due to school characteristics are much lower than inequalities due to student differences. School inequality declines in years of conflict compared to normal ones. The relationships between gender and achievement also vary statistically from school to school, with the conflict exacerbating existing inequalities. Based on the results, it is suggested that equity strategies should consider inequalities with declining student performance as opposed to conventional inequalities with high and low performing groups. Future research may isolate the effects of conflict and reforms in national testing procedures to account for gender inequalities.

Looking to the Past to Understand the Present: Legacies of Inequality, Status Changes, and Collective Memory in Burundi’s Post-War Schooling

How do efforts to reduce ethnic inequality in schooling interact with narratives of inequality and past grievances in schools after ethnicity-based conflict? In this paper, I analyse interviews with 114 youth in Burundi to explore the intersection of these narratives given a power-sharing agreement and changes in group status in post-war Burundi. I show that despite government efforts, narratives of exclusion and inequality in the past persist, and have become more complex. This study has implications for our understanding of the role of redressing education inequalities in short- and long-term peacebuilding processes.

From Perspectival Myopia to Professional Transformation: An Autoethnographic Retrospection of a High School Principal from Nepal

ABSTRACT This paper presents a re-storied account of my (lead author) decade-long (2007–2017) professional journey as a high school principal in diverse educational settings in Nepal. Using an autoethnographic approach, I have theorized my leadership transformation approaches through professional storytelling, employing critical reflexivity to trace intimate leadership experiences where authoritarian approaches to leadership, disparities, and inequalities in schools run rampant. My perspectival myopia, professional vulnerabilities, and the discrepancies between my leadership ideals and behaviors resulted in issues such as perceptions of disengagement, underperformance, and dissatisfaction on the receiving end, prompting me to contemplate professional transformation. While outlining several significant steps and missteps in transforming my actional and cognitive behaviors, this paper explores my evolution toward a more reflective, democratic, ethical, equitable, and participative conceptualization of educational leadership and underscores the transformative potential of personal-professional development through adaptable perspectives and critical self-reflection, offering valuable insights for educational leaders globally.

Socioeconomic inequalities in the incidence of COVID-19 in Barcelona students

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess socioeconomic inequalities in schools regarding the COVID-19 incidence during different epidemic waves among Barcelona students, differentiating by sex and educational stage. Study designCross-sectional ecological study. MethodsWe included in the study all students from childhood to secondary education in Barcelona city. The unit of analysis was the schools. The study covered the epidemic waves coinciding with the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school courses. The cumulative incidence (CI) per school and wave was calculated. Bivariate and multivariate analyses using Poisson regression were conducted to estimate relative risks. The population attributable risk, by sex and educational stage, was calculated as a measure of impact. ResultsIn the second wave, higher CI in students was associated with greater school socioeconomic deprivation in all groups. In the younger girls, 24.5 % (5.2–41.4) of the CI was attributed to school socioeconomic vulnerability, increasing to 33.1 % (15.1–47.2) in older girls. During the sixth wave, the impact was lower in the most vulnerable schools in all strata. ConclusionsSocioeconomic factors significantly impacted the incidence of COVID-19 in schools, reflecting social inequalities in Barcelona. There was an inversion of the pattern of inequalities in the sixth wave compared to the previous ones. The results emphasize the need for urgent action and targeted resources to address health inequalities in education and understand the impact of epidemic dynamics on socioeconomic context.

Inequalities in the Cape Flats: Principals’ perspectives on children’s schooling

Background: A separate, apartheid system of schooling in South Africa entrenched European racialised ideologies of white supremacy that left a legacy of social, economic, and educational inequalities. The 1995 White Paper for Education, the 1996 South African Schools Act, and the Revised National Curriculum Statement outlined steps for equalising education. However, inequalities within the schooling system remain.Aim: The study aimed to understand how principals experience the lasting effects of apartheid-era segregationist policies in primary schools and to document principals’ solutions.Setting: A meeting of principals who work at primary schools in the Western Cape province.Methods: Researchers purposively sampled four principals from the primary schools represented at the meeting, conducted semi-structured interviews with the principals chosen, and adopted an interpretive approach to analyse findings.Results: This study finds from principals’ perspectives that neighbourhood gang violence, and highly unequal funding for schools in different neighbourhoods adversely impact primary school children’s education and principals’ abilities to lead as a result of context, overcrowding and inequality. Principals note that when parent-led programmes such as the Walking Bus produce a positive effect, the government tends to undercut parents’ efforts to work with principals to secure and equalise young children’s schooling.Conclusion: Giving greater governance power to parents and principals may help to equalise the extremes of inequalities in primary schools remaining from Nationalist Party policies of the pre-1994 apartheid era.Contribution: This study contributes to primary school principals’ ideas for improving primary schoolchildren’s education.

Gender and Other Inequalities in Secondary Education in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone: Exploring the Experiences and Outcomes of Girls in Schools

This study extends limited research on understanding gender and education in post-conflict contexts. The study goes beyond the descriptive analysis of equality in terms of numbers but rather focuses on the gendered processes and conditions of learning (i.e., The content of what girls learn and how they learn). It gives an account of how schooling experiences produce and reproduce inequalities in secondary education. This critical analysis utilizes the intersectionality framework to illustrate how the intersection of multiple identities such as gender, social class, sexuality, culture, and location influences girls' learning experiences and outcomes in secondary school in post-conflict Sierra Leone. I particularly draw on girls’ explanations of these issues as they negotiate and are affected by them. Therefore, a detailed qualitative ethnographic study was conducted in a secondary school from the south region of Sierra Leone to explore gendered experiences and their intersecting inequalities in everyday schooling. This is to understand the gendered institutional life of the school and as far as possible do this through the voices and perspectives of those within the school, especially the girls. What this research does is to broaden the in-school research knowledge by focusing on investigating the gendered process of learning, everyday formal and informal in-school interactions, cultures and practices and the intersection of gender with other social identities like sexuality, Socioeconomic status (SES), Location and Traditions. I also tracked how these new directions of knowledge influence girls' performance, retention, and attainment. This study adopted a qualitative research method using an ethnographic approach to examine the pupils’ and teachers' detailed secondary schooling experiences. This was achieved by using in-depth interviews to explore students’ individual personal experiences of secondary schooling. The studied participants were purposively selected based on the established parameters for this study. The findings of this study revealed a highly gendered school environment, and that the intersection of multiple identities, such as gender, social class, sexuality, culture, and location, exacerbates inequalities in secondary education and influences girls' learning experiences. Additionally, the study highlighted the impact of societal factors, such as early marriage and teenage pregnancy, on girls' educational outcomes, especially in a post-conflict context like Sierra Leone.

Methods of teaching secondary school students to solve algebraic equations and inequalities and their systems

Relevance. The relevance of this study is conditioned by the integral role of algebraic equations and inequalities in mathematics education, as well as the need for effective methods and approaches to their teaching at the secondary school level. Purpose. The study aims to develop and appropriate methods for teaching secondary school students to solve algebraic equations and inequalities, including their systems, taking into account modern educational requirements and pedagogical approaches. Methodology. In the course of the study, methods such as experimental research, questionnaire surveys, and statistical analysis of data were used. Results. Because of the study, it was revealed that the innovative methodology for teaching the solution of algebraic equations and inequalities in secondary school had a positive impact on students' mastery of the material. The participants demonstrated a deeper understanding of algebraic concepts, increased independence in problem-solving, and developed critical thinking skills. They became more confident in analysing and interpreting problem conditions, identifying relationships between variables, and proposing adequate solutions. The new approach also improved students� motivation to study algebra and their academic performance, with increased interest and passion for the subject due to the interactive methods and practical tasks provided. Conclusions. The study confirms the effectiveness of the innovative methodology in the contemporary educational context of mainstream schools. The practical significance of the study lies in providing mainstream schoolteachers with tools to successfully teach students algebraic equations and inequalities, contributing to the development of analytical thinking and mathematical competence. Keywords: interactive lessons; visualization of mathematical concepts; individual progress; skill development

Analisis Kesenjangan Sosial di Sekolah: Perspektif Sosiologi Pendidikan Islam (Studi Kasus di SDN Bhayangkara Yogyakarta)

The sociology of education has a crucial role in developing a more optimal and efficient education system. One of the major bottlenecks in the sociology of education is the educational gap. The sociology of education is a sociological analysis used to solve the main issues faced in the realm of education. The purpose of this study is to analyze social inequality in schools from the perspective of Islamic education sociology. The research approach uses qualitative research. This research was conducted at SDN Bhayangkara. The subject of this research is the teacher. Data collection techniques using observation, interviews, and documentation. Data analysis used data reduction, data display, and data conclusion verification. The results of the research can be concluded that social inequality also occurs not only in the community but in the educational environment this often occurs. SDN Bhayangkara is a public school located in the middle of the urban city of Yogyakarta. Students with various kinds of social, and economic status, parenting patterns, and different environments have resulted in social inequality in the school environment such as at SDN Bhayangkara. The application of the sociology of Islamic Education with counseling guidance, there is moral material, there is an example, there is punishment and religious activities. Through the application of the sociology of Islamic education, it is hoped that it can prevent social inequalities that occur in schools.

Community-based peer mentorship improves academic performance: Evidence from Makhanda, South Africa

ABSTRACT Despite high rates of education expenditure, South Africa's education system remains sharply unequal and underperforms overall compared to other countries. One approach to addressing education inequality and underperformance is community-based peer mentorship. This paper presents evidence from the Nine Tenths mentorship programme in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) as a way to improve academic performance among matric students in under-resourced secondary schools. Using school matric pass rates from 2012 to 2021 and student admission metrics for participants in 2020–2022, a strong association is found between the activities of Nine Tenths and improved academic performance. No-fee schools where Nine Tenths is active record pass rates that are 28 percentage points higher on average than schools without Nine Tenths. Matric students who participate in Nine Tenths increase their Admissions Points Score (APS) by 4.23 points on average, and every student between 2020 and 2022 earned a bachelor pass. While the evidence suggests that Nine Tenths is effective, the programme operates on a relatively small scale and is not broad-based in its implementation. The programme shows is a promising example of community-based interventions to address schooling inequality independently and more efficiently than the current education policy in South Africa.

The political trap for Honduran teachers: compensation inequities in rural schools

ABSTRACT Honduras’ progress on educational outcomes has lagged behind other Latin American countries in recent years, including educational access for marginalized populations, high school dropout, and performance gaps across the K-12 spectrum (Adelman & Székely, 2017). Studies have suggested that lack of government investment in education (Ministerios de Hacienda y Finanzas, 2019) and pervasive corruption (Beiser, 2015; Ernst, 2019; Fontana, 2008) may contribute to the mismanagement of educational funds and poor outcomes. The present study focuses on less commonly researched challenges which may affect school quality by exploring educator’s compensation experiences in community versus government managed schools. Surveys were collected from 63 teachers from six Programa Hondureño de Educación Comunitaria (PROHECO) schools and four non- PROHECO government schools. Our findings show greater frequency and length of salary delays for PROHECO teachers and consider how the statistical differences may relate to clientelist practices and impact teacher morale. We conclude with a call for further research on school quality focused on the impact of educator work, hiring, and compensation practices on educator quality and students’ educational outcomes.

Changing pedagogy in rural secondary schools through the technology, pedagogy, content, and spaces (TPeCS) knowledge framework

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic exposed insecurities and inequalities in schools. As such, there has been changing pedagogy in rural secondary schools in the uMkhanyakude district. Teachers adopted the technology, pedagogy, content, and spaces (TPeCS) knowledge framework, integrating planned behaviour. Teachers and learners engaged in discussion as a means of teaching and learning mathematics after school hours. This implicated cultural and sociological dimensions that were common among rural teachers and learners. Although the findings of this study could not be generalised, an all-encompassing framework for rural secondary school teachers and learners through online discussions is recommended. Novel technology-enhanced out-of-school teaching and learning activities were developed through progressive, participatory action-research. Furthermore, the findings support collaboration and a new contextualised theory called the technology, pedagogy, content, interaction, and spaces (TPeCIS) knowledge framework.

Why does the schooling gap close while the wage gap persists across country income comparisons?

The schooling gap diminishes because the services sector becomes more pronounced for high-income countries, and the paid hours gap closes. Although gender wage inequality persists across country income groups, differences in schooling years between females and males diminish. We assemble a novel dataset, calibrate a general equilibrium, multi-sector, -gender, and -production technology model, and show that gender-specific sectoral comparative advantages explain the paid hours and schooling gap decline from low- to high-income economies even when the wage gap persists. Additionally, our counterfactual analyses indicate that consumption subsistence and production share heterogeneity across both income groups and genders are essential to explain the co-decline of the schooling and paid hours gaps. Our results highlight effective mechanisms for policies aiming to reduce gender inequality in schooling and suggest that the schooling gap decline and the de-invisibilization of female paid work observed in high-income countries are linked by structural sector movements instead of wage inequality reductions.

How Social Justice Leadership Complements Instructional Leadership

ABSTRACT Instructional leadership (IL) needs other frameworks to complement it. This qualitative study examined how social justice leadership (SJL), which involves understanding school inequities and taking action to eliminate them, might complement IL. The participants were 36 Israeli elementary school principals. Data collection included semi-structured interviews and focus groups, and data analysis included sorting, coding, and categorizing. The findings revealed that principals perceived SJL as providing answers to three main questions about IL: for whom (whose achievements should be improved), how (in what way should student achievements be improved), and with whom (who should the partners be for improving student achievements).

Effectiveness of conditional cash transfers, subsidized child care and life skills training on adolescent mothers’ schooling, sexual and reproductive health, and mental health outcomes in Burkina Faso and Malawi: the PROMOTE Project pilot randomized controlled trial protocol

IntroductionGirls’ and women’s health as well as social and economic wellbeing are often negatively impacted by early childbearing. In many parts of Africa, adolescent girls who get pregnant often drop out of school, resulting in widening gender inequalities in schooling and economic participation. Few interventions have focused on education and economic empowerment of adolescent mothers in the region. We aim to conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial in Blantyre (Malawi) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) to examine the acceptability and feasibility of three interventions in improving educational and health outcomes among adolescent mothers and to estimate the effect and cost-effectiveness of the three interventions in facilitating (re)entry into school or vocational training. We will also test the effect of the interventions on their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and mental health.InterventionsThe three interventions we will assess are: a cash transfer conditioned on (re)enrolment into school or vocational training, subsidized childcare, and life skills training offered through adolescent mothers’ clubs. The life skills training will cover nurturing childcare, SRH, mental health, and financial literacy. Community health workers will facilitate the clubs. Each intervention will be implemented for 12 months.MethodsWe will conduct a baseline survey among adolescent mothers aged 10–19 years (N = 270, per site) enrolled following a household listing in select enumeration areas in each site. Adolescent mothers will be interviewed using a structured survey adapted from a previous survey on the lived experiences of pregnant and parenting adolescents in the two sites. Following the baseline survey, adolescent mothers will be individually randomly assigned to one of three study arms: arm one (adolescent mothers’ clubs only); arm two (adolescent mothers’ clubs + subsidized childcare), and arm three (adolescent mothers’ clubs + subsidized childcare + cash transfer). At endline, we will re-administer the structured survey and assess the average treatment effect across the three groups following intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis, comparing school or vocational training attendance during the intervention period. We will also compare baseline and endline measures of SRH and mental health outcomes. Between the baseline and endline survey, we will conduct a process evaluation to examine the acceptability and feasibility of the interventions and to track the implementation of the interventions.DiscussionOur research will generate evidence that provides insights on interventions that can enable adolescent mothers to continue their education, as well as improve their SRH and mental health. We aim to maximize the translation of the evidence into policy and action through sustained engagement from inception with key stakeholders and decision makers and strategic communication of research findings.Trial registration number AEARCTR-0009115, May 15, 2022.

AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF THE INFLUENCE OF EARLY MARRIAGE AMONG PUPILS ON LEARNER RETENTION PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATION IN KENYA, A CASE OF TURKANA COUNTY

The Dakar Conference of 2000 evaluated development in attaining Universal Primary Education (UPE) within the continent of African. An EFA target was established that is eradicating gender inequality in primary schools within the year 2005 and by 2015 be able to attain gender impartiality.Despite all efforts by governments, retention of pupils in primary schools is a major challenge to most governments in the world and in sub-Saharan Africa in particular. Among other social –cultural factors, early marriage among primary school going learners have had a negative impact on the Free Primary Education policy since its re-introduction in 2003 in Kenya. The country faces 23% early marriage among girls and might be a contributor factor in low learner retention in the country especially in Turkana County which has so far had the lowest retention in the county with 7.8% compared to 79.6% nationally. The purpose of this study was to have an exploratory factor analysis to understand why this situation has been experienced within the FPE policy in Kenya. The findings establishedthat girls are married early by young and old men who can afford paying dowry, payment of dowry has driven many girls to early marriage, and majority of early marriages are done according to the traditions of the community. It concluded that early marriage is predominant among the pastoralist communities in ASAL regions in Kenya and has had tremendous influence on learner retention in primary school education contributing negatively to the implementation and success of FPE policy.

Culturally Relevant Leadership: Bridging the Equity Gap

The study aims to examine in depth the culturally relevant leadership behavior tendencies of school leaders to prevent inequalities in schools with high refugee student population in Türkiye. We utilized phenomenology in this qualitative research study. We gathered the data via face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 14 school leaders and used both descriptive and content analysis in the process of analyzing the data. The components of “personal awareness”, “equity pedagogy”, “policy mediation” and “professionalism” constituted the themes of the research. The views of school leaders revealed that the methods and strategies in eliminating the prejudice, exclusion, and xenophobia against refugee students are insufficient, and these problems lead the inequalities for refugee students in school context. Based on the findings of the study, we suggest that multicultural educational management approaches need to be promoted, and so the training programs and good practice examples from different contexts experienced in such practices should be followed.