Getting to know my contacts’ views and experiences on the inequity and inequality issues in
schools.
When I addressed the issue of inequity in the quality of education and opportunities with Early Childhood,
it sparked some interesting conversations with my International Connections.
I spoke to Frankie in Holland first. Frankie teaches at an International school and recognizes
that the children and staff at the school are all very privileged. Frankie has lived in Holland
for many years and is familiar with the education system. She tells me how education in
Holland is free and compulsory from age four. The government are so strict about attendance
to school that if the child is not called in sick they will send someone to the house to see why
the child is absent from school. Families get fined if they keep children out of school without
medical reasons. There are many different facilities for children younger than school going
age. Education for children from age four to eighteen is good quality education and every school can expect the same standards of facilities and
curriculum nation wide.
Being a socialist country equity in education is not an issue and things are equally accessible
to all. It is also a very small country with high taxes, which makes this system a lot easier to
control.
When I spoke to Julie who taught in Indonesia she has a very different perspective on the s
ubject. She explained that the bigger cities in Indonesia offered private education for children
at a costly fee. Rural Indonesia, which is the majority of the country had very limited facilities
and funds to offer quality education. Julie felt that the government was corrupt and funding
was not fairly distributed for educational needs. The result in the inequity of quality
education for children was very evident in the older generation. The adults that were lucky
enough to attend sound schooling were able to speak some English and went on to further
their education and get trained skills. These people were in the workforce made education for
their children a priority.
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