Category: Inequality in Education

The South African education system has experience many changes after the 1994 democratic elections in efforts to undo and redress past imbalances that dominated the schooling system during the reign of the apartheid government. These changes had a significant impact on learners and teachers as the main goal of the new government was transformation and ensuring equal access into a system that excluded the majority of the population based on race. This essay will attempt to provide a brief definition of what the term curriculum means based on research. In addition to this, the cycles of curricular reform and change will also be discussed with a focus on how historic, global as well as national factors prompted these changes. Furthermore, some of the key contextual, school and pedagogical influences will also be described while identifying key intended and unintended consequences on the major stakeholders. Lastly, the author’s own opinion will be highlighted as to provide insight as to how the author would engage with the current curriculum against the background of the circumstances faced in South African schools.

Curriculum refers to the policy framework that includes the knowledge and information that is required for learners to learn during their years of schooling. It serves as a guideline for educators to specifically teach selected content as outlined in the policy. Moreover, a curriculum outlines the specific time-frames that learners are expected to learn this content and also what resources and support is necessary for teachers and learners to effectively engage in the teaching and learning process. According to Adu and Ngibe (2014, p, 983), “a curriculum is the offering of socially valued knowledge, skills and attitudes made available to students through a variety of arrangements during the time they are at school. This means that a curriculum requires learners to be able to acquire a certain level of intellectual capabilities, physical proficiencies and morals during their schooling years.

Moreover, curriculum relates to the strategies and techniques that teachers utilize to determine the competence of learners based on the assessment activities that learners complete as outlined in the curriculum policy guidelines. This means that teachers and learners are provided with an outline “which includes the learning standards or learning objectives they are expected to meet, the units and lessons that teachers teach, the assignments and projects given to students; the books; materials, videos, presentations and readings used in the course, and the tests, assessments, and other methods used to evaluate student learning” (Adu and Ngibe, 2014, p, 985). These, in my view, are the core elements that give a definition of what the term curriculum is.

It is no secret that the South African education system has undergone many changes after the dawn of democracy in 1994, particularly relating to curriculum reform and review. These changes in the education system were specifically aimed at redressing past imbalances and ensuring equal access to all South Africans that is in need of education. Before the official change took place, the South African education system was still seeing traces of Christian National Education and Bantu Education until the new policy changes took effect in 1997 with the introduction of Curriculum 2005 (C2005). Following this, the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) was introduced in 2002, the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) in 2007 and the current educational policy guidelines dubbed the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) which was introduced in 2012 (Adu and Ngibe, 2014).

According to Naidoo & Muthukrishna (2014, p, 272) “the RNCS retained learner-centeredness and curriculum integration as methodologies of practice; as is the case with the new Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement”. This means that the shift from a teacher-centered approach, as was the case under the apartheid government education system, was at the heart of each policy review and reform whilst at the same time ensuring effective implementation of the policy that speaks to the needs of the individual learner. All these changes and reforms that South African teachers and learners experienced, were all part of the new government’s plans in ensuring that curriculum development and change is based on the fundamental values as contained in the Constitution of South Africa.

The curriculum changes that occurred in the South African education system between 1994 and 2019, was heavily dominated by factors aimed at social transformation, redress, inclusion, consolidation and national reconciliation. One of the key historical factors that prompted curricular change and reform was the need to break away from a system that excluded the majority of learners based on race. This stance is shared in a plethora of research that unequivocally states that “post-1994 education is predicated on the principle of equality of opportunity in relation to provision, access and outcomes” (Badat & Sayed, 2014, p, 128). In this regard, changes in the South African education system after 1994, sought to remedy discrimination based on race, dismantle inequality in education that stemmed from apartheid, include cultural roots that were disregarded, demolish a curricula that promoted the ideals and values of one culture, do away with the language policy that was irrelevant, ravage the medium of instruction that was foreign and the general deterioration in the culture of teaching and learning (Legodi, 2001). This was particularly emphasized with the implementation of Curriculum 2005 in 1997.

Curriculum reform policies in South Africa have also seen many remnants of global influence. One key notable aspect of curriculum reform policies is how it can directly be traced to policies in developed countries in the North (Naidoo & Muthukrishna, 2014). Jansen (1998) notes how the outcomes-based education approach that underpins curriculum implementation in South Africa, originates from the practices followed in Australia and New Zealand. This global factor speaks directly to the notion of South Africa’s curriculum reform policies that are imported as oppose to home-grown. In addition to this, the post-1994 curriculum changes and reform was aimed at uniting and reconciling a nation that was hideously divided under apartheid and promoting the values of dignity, respect, inclusion, access as proclaimed in the Constitution. The implementation of C2005 was intended to “improve the quality of learning utilizing a learner-centered approach with the principle of curriculum integration” (Naidoo & Muthukrishna, 2014, p, 272). All the changes to the curriculum that followed were based on these fundamental principles.

Furthermore, the particular circumstances during which these curricular changes occurred cannot be ignored. After the 1994 election, the education system was immediately transformed to adopt an outcomes-based approach that focused on learner-centeredness as opposed to the apartheid system that was content-based and teacher-centered (Department of Education, 2001). The policy changes that followed relating to the Revised National Curriculum Statement, the National Curriculum Statement and the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, were all directed at strengthening this approach. Transformation in schools was also part of the change process as access, opportunity, redress, equity and democratic governance was emphasized under the new government. This opened the doors for community involvement and public participation in the education system. With regard to pedagogical factors, curriculum change had significant benefits for teachers as they could take on the role of facilitator giving them more autonomy to adapt and adopt teaching strategies that cater and suit the needs of the learners. Learners were also afforded to take charge of their own learning with guidance from the teacher.

The role of teachers in ensuring that the current curriculum is effectively and successfully implemented is crucial to the quality of learning and teaching in the South African schooling system. As a result of this, teachers always need to be reminded that they are the driving force behind the future prospects of learners in the schooling system. The National Curriculum Statement compels teachers to be flexible in their teaching and therefore the emphasis of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement demands a learner-centered approach to enable learners to be in charge of their own learning. It is against this background that I would always allow the underlying principles of the NCS to guide and inform my teaching as I would always tap into the knowledge that learners bring into the classroom as teachers need to “guide learners to generate their own individual understandings of different forms of knowledge” (Naidoo & Muthukrishna, 2014, p, 276). In this regard, I would not tell learners what they can do with the newly acquired knowledge, but how they can apply it in their daily lives.

It is evident that South African classrooms are diversified and this means that teachers should always strive to cater for the overall needs of all their learners “irrespective of their socio-economic background, race, gender, physical ability or intellectual ability” (Department of Education, 2011, p, 4). As a novice teacher I would always strive to be constantly aware of this in my teaching and at the same time inculcating values of respect and tolerance in my learners. This approach, I believe, will help foster ideals that will assist in creating a learning environment in which learners and teacher work together in harmony to meet prescribed educational objectives. It is therefore imperative to be conscious of your own cultural and beliefs systems while understanding that each individual learner is different due to their social, economic and political background (Weinstein, Curran, & Tomlinson-Clarke, 2014).

The issue of learner and teacher discipline cannot be divorced from the discussion on implementing the curriculum successfully, especially in the South African context where violence and intolerance plague our communities. With the banning of corporal punishment, teachers are generally inclined to believe that the only way to maintain authority is by punishing inappropriate behaviour. This approach is particularly applied by old hand experienced teachers that “are well-acquainted with the authoritarian, teacher-centred model of classroom management” (Hansen, 1979, p, 42). In my opinion, the best line of attack to avert disruptive behaviour in the classroom would be to identify, with the help of the learners, what they regard as deplorable behaviour and how to deal with it. This will allow learners to feel that they are part of the order and structure of their classroom and at the same time establish a good and healthy relationship between teacher and learner. Moreover, by implementing a system of following a prescribed set of rules might also help in fostering ideals of morally acceptable behaviour within the learners which they will carry throughout their academic and social lives.

Furthermore, it is astute to be aware of the role of technology in the learning and teaching process, particularly in the wake of the technological revolution that has inundated education globally. As a novice teacher I would always try to incorporate technology in my lessons, provided that the school has the technological resources to do so. For example, playing a short video clip that relates to the topic to be covered can stimulate learner’s thought processes. Learners can also be taught basic computer skills if there is a computer laboratory at the school. This training, in my view, will assist them in acquiring the necessary skills required by the labour market upon completion of their schooling careers as this is an industry requirement, irrespective of which career path learners choose.

The current curriculum that is enacted in South Africa has done more harm than good as found in the literature on curriculum and education after the advent of democracy in 1994. This means that unless drastic measures are implemented to curb further deterioration of the education system, low levels of literacy and numeracy will continue to persist.

Introduction to Poverty’s Impact on Education

Poverty seems to be one of the issues that hinders learners to complete or further their studies. On the other hand, some are motivated by it to work hard and better their lives. Poverty has more negative effects on the education of learners apart from. It is one of the issues that the government still fails to tackle fairly. By fairly I mean without excluding those who are in rural areas. Even though the department of education claim to be finding strategies in helping learners in rural areas, it is never enough because of their living circumstances.

This important in such a way that it will show us how much of a work we still have to do in our country. It also motivates me as a teacher to be a caring person who would understand and be able to work with people from different backgrounds. It also includes reasons why people are no longer able to live together (what replaced humanity). This topic does not only affect education’s side only it covers issues that influences crime, with poverty being one of them. The truth is getting educated is very difficult when you come from a disadvantaged background.

The Vicious Cycle: Poverty Affecting Learners and Their Families

Poverty affects education in different ways. It affects learners and their parents, the department of education, the society and the world as a whole. “Poverty is clearly a risk factor for children’s poor development and limited educational outcomes, and it may be that risk in the early years will continue to have an effect even if the family moves out of poverty later in the child’s life. Finding ways of reducing poverty is essential for children’s healthy development” (Engle & Black, 2008). Children who are from poor families find it hard to develop and try new things even when they are granted an opportunity to do because they usually lack self- esteem. This is because in most cases, they are usually mocked by other learners. Sometimes you would even find out that the society is also making fun of poor families. This is heart breaking because children do not choose where they want to be born.

Global Perspectives: Poverty in Developing vs. Developed Countries

Developing countries are the ones that are usually affected by poverty in education system as many people are unemployed due to being unqualified for specific jobs. “Both absolute and relative poverty are relevant for education. Lack of financial resources may limit school attendance among the absolutely poor in developing countries. The relatively poor in developed countries, however, often feel excluded from the school community, or the whole school community itself may feel excluded from the wider society. Such exclusion affects their ability to gain the full benefits from education or to translate the benefits of education into remunerative employment. This also has a potential impact on motivation to participate or to do well in education. Thus both absolute and relative poverty impact on education, as will be discussed in following sections of this booklet. Where absolute poverty is considered, the focus will be on developing (poor) countries. In contrast, where relative poverty is considered, the focus will usually be on developed (rich) countries (even though relative poverty is also widely present in poor countries)” (Van der Berg, 2008: 2). Lack of financial resources in the poor schools disable learners to get enough education and be exposed to technology. This is because schools cannot afford some materials and therefore learners lack study material, and at some point have to ask their parents to buy them (of which some cannot).“Minority students are disproportionately poor and hence are more likely to be exposed to a variety of socio-demographic stressors associated with poverty” (Skiba,Poloni-Staudinger, Simmons, Renae Feggins-Azziz & Chung, 2005:131).

Gender Inequality: A Closer Look at Rural Areas

“Gender Inequality in education has significant impact on rural poverty. Female-male enrolment ratio, female male literacy ratio, female-male ratio of total years of schooling of population, education of household head, female-male ratio of earners, age of household head, asset holding and land holding are significant variable having negative impact on the probability of being rural poor”(Chaudhry & Rahman,2009:186). Most females in rural areas are expected to take care of children or get married at a very young age and therefore end up uneducated. This leads to having many children without any income which can later on affect their education. It can affect their education in a way that they might not be able to study further due to financial problems, which will make it difficult for their parents to lend a hand because they are uneducated and unemployed or earn less salary. On the other hand, males also find it difficult to further their studies as some quit school and go job hunting due to their family issues. In most cases you will find out that the male child has to play a father figure at a very young age and go job hunting. The issue of young males and females who have to take care of their families in other for them to survive affects their education negatively and leads to more struggle in families as well as to an increase in the number of uneducated youth in the country, which might later on affect the economy.

“One of the main issues in rural development debates is how to tackle rural poverty. More than 70 percent of the world’s poor are to be found in rural areas where hunger, literacy and low school achievement are common” (Aref, 2011:498). The cause of poor literacy is derived from parents. You would find out that most parents in rural areas are not educated and therefore cannot help their children with studies. This somehow affects children because nobody can help them at home, they only study at school, unlike in urban areas where parents help their children with their schoolwork. At times you will find out that the school government fails to provide enough food for learners at school and this is likely to cause problems because some do not have food at home. This state affects learners’ education.

Psychological Factors and Socioeconomic Challenges

“Research on psychological factors can help illuminate one set of processes through which economic disadvantage leads to academic underachievement and reveal ways to more effectively support students who face additional challenges because of their socioeconomic circumstances”( Claro, Paunesku & Dweck,2016:8667). Failure to help student further their studies leads to more poverty and affects the economy of the country. You will find out that most dropouts end up having many kids and being dependant on grant. This means that the government has to provide more.

Orphaned girls find it difficult to continue with their studies. “As Bronfenbrenner observed, the processes by which poverty affects the girl child’s psychosocial development are multiple and complex. Given the complexities and multiple paths by which poverty can affect the academic performance of the child, an ecological systems model provides an appropriate framework to guide research and the selection of appropriate interventions for poor families and for children experiencing psychosocial problems. Understanding the interactions of these systems is the key to understanding how a child develops and what factors lead to his or her failure. The ecological model incorporates all areas of influence on the development of the child to assess the causes and also the solutions to some of the increasing behavioural, academic and emotional problems seen today”(Chinyoka, 2013:32).

The Role of Community and Society in Educational Attainment

“Some families and communities, particularly in poverty stricken areas, do not value or understand formal education. This leads to students who are unprepared for the school environment” (Lacour & Tissington, 2011:526). Parents who grew up without seeing any importance of their education hardly pays attention to their children’s education. You’d find out that these kinds of parents give their children work to do at home instead of their schoolwork. This generally takes place in society as well. In communities that are ruled by kings, children starts labour work at an early age and lose interest in education hence it is said that “poverty is something that is inherent in society as long as money is involved, but the people living in poverty should have better opportunities to exit. The way people living in poverty are viewed affects how they are able to live. Due to the increasing wealth gap, more students are born into poverty than ever before. Without the proper structures in place and the proper mentality of the general public and elected officials, inequality will persist. This can be avoided if the proper measures are taken now and we start investing in our future with our time, resources, and understanding” (Buck & Deutsch, 2014:1147). Also, the effects of poverty on education “bear upon the effects of family breakup, a correlate of poverty, on deviant activities during adolescence. (Pagani, Boulerice, Vitaro & Tremblay,1999:1217).

Observation methodology is a qualitative study method where investigator detect contributors’ continuous action in a natural situation. The importance of this type of investigation is to gather more dependable vision. In other words, researchers can record data on what members do as opposed to what they say they do. With this investigation, you can comprehend how people naturally associate with products and people and the problems they face. It can provide inspiration and ideas for opportunities for development and revolution. Observation as a data collection method can be organised or unorganised. In planned or systematic observation, data collection is managed using exact variables and according to a pre-defined agenda. Unorganised observation, on the other hand, is conducted in an open and free routine in a sense that there would be no pre-determined variables or aims.

Advantages of observation data collection method include straightforward entrance to investigation phenomena, high levels of flexibility in terms of usage and generating a permanent record of phenomena to be referred to later. At the same time, observation method is disadvantaged with longer time requirements, high levels of observer bias, and impact of observer on primary data, in a way that presence of observer may influence the behaviour of sample group elements. It is important to note that observation data collection method may be associated with certain ethical issues. Fully informed consent of research participant(s) is one of the basic ethical considerations to be adhered to by researchers. At the same time, the behaviour of sample group members may change with negative implications on the level of research validity if they are notified about the presence of the observer.

Research is also one of the methodologies that I used. It helped me in analysing what other countries are going through about the issue of how poverty affects education. In my research, I included factors that leads to poverty and how they affect education. Those factors are unemployment, being orphan, female dropouts, drug users and male dropouts.

Poverty has negative effects which eventually force children to go and work for their families to have something to eat. Others end up failing at school, because they cannot cope with the pressure and responsibility they have. Most homes are child headed at home; the more children drop out off school the poverty increases which is a cycle that never ends. As seen in the graph above, primary phase children are the ones affected more, hence they are too young for the pressure they in.

Children who are from poor families find it hard to develop and try new things even when they are granted an opportunity to do because they usually lack self- esteem. This is because in most cases, they are usually mocked by other learners. Sometimes you would even find out that the society is also making fun of poor families. This is heart breaking because children do not choose where they want to be born. You would find out that most parents in rural areas are not educated and therefore cannot help their children with studies. This somehow affects children because nobody can help them at home, they only study at school, unlike in urban areas where parents help their children with their schoolwork.

Conclusion: Overcoming Poverty’s Obstacles in Education

This important in such a way that it will show us how much of a work we still have to do in our country. It also motivates me as a teacher to be a caring person who would understand and be able to work with people from different backgrounds. It also includes reasons why people are no longer able to live together (what replaced humanity). This topic does not only affect education’s side only it covers issues that influences crime, with poverty being one of them. The truth is getting educated is very difficult when you come from a disadvantaged background.

Projecting this issue was not easy especially having to move from one area to another and doing interviews. Some people got offended that I am asking them about their living circumstances. I have realised that many people who are struggling are afraid to raise their voices because they are somehow judged and mistreated by those who are around them. Some are not confident enough because they don’t look like others. I think it’s about time those who are poor are taken care. I mean children cannot suffer because of the decisions that were taken by their parents or because of the situation that their parents found themselves in. The government must be able to find strategies that can help poor learners survive and better their lives since the ones that they’re currently using don’t seem to be making much of a difference. As much as one cannot choose how to be born they can choose how to develop their lives. Poverty shouldn’t hinder anyone from achieving their dreams and reaching their goals.

Inequality is the distinction in economic wellbeing, riches, or opportunity between individuals or gatherings. High and rising disparity is one of Jamaica’s most squeezing monetary and cultural issues. Rising imbalance probably won’t be such a significant concern if our training, financial, and social assurance frameworks went about as compensatory instruments, helping people, and particularly young people, ascend over their introduction to the world conditions and improve their portability.

The historical backdrop of training in Jamaica is maybe best clarified and comprehended with regards to the island’s pioneer history. The training framework and its organization were designed according to the British framework; and a considerable lot of the advancements throughout the entire existence of Jamaican instruction can be viewed as reactions to occasions, A great part of the ongoing history of instruction in Jamaica has been driven by the apparent need to create domestic reactions to financial, social, and political weights on the island and in the Caribbean location.

Before authorizing the act of Emancipation in 1834, the historical backdrop of Jamaica shows almost no in the method for a formal and firm training framework for whites and no framework at all for teaching the indigenous individuals and African slaves. While few of the wealthy English homesteaders could stand to send their children back to their birthplace for tutoring, others enlisted private guides. The individuals who were less princely sent their children to the handful of free schools that were built up through inheritances from rich grower and traders. The educational plan in the free schools depended on that offered by comparable schools in Great Britain and was planned to offer traditional training to youthful honorable men so they would be appropriately fitted to have their spot in the public eye. A couple of slave kids got some tutoring at manor schools set up by remote teachers, yet their instruction managed religion and the ethics of accommodation. Probably a portion of these ranch schools gave instruction to young ladies just as young men. A wide gap exists between the rich and poor, and this is additionally observed between individuals from a similar society. This wide gap is a conspicuous reason for instructive disparities. The purpose behind this is rouse of a nation’s craving to give every one of its native’s equivalent open door in training, not all social orders do demand a comparable social and financial fairness. Well off individuals from the general public can purchase, so to state, costly and better education for their kids. Such focal points of instructive open door are not identified with singular riches as it were. A territory with more assets will in general have increasingly social conveniences.

In today’s education system, it is almost the same as it was back in the days. As it relates to inequality in schools. A wide hole exists between the rich and poor, and this is additionally observed between individuals from a similar society. This wide hole is a conspicuous reason for instructive disparities. The purpose behind this is rouse of a nation’s craving to give every one of its native’s equivalent open door in training, not all social orders do demand a comparable social and financial fairness. Well off individuals from the general public can purchase, so to state, costly and better training for their kids. Such focal points of instructive open door are not identified with singular riches as it were.

Inequality in education is something which has been witnessed not only in this country but elsewhere. In real sense, this brings very many failed statuses in the society and the reason there should be the derivation of procedures which addresses such forms of inequality. Education is one of the major foundations of the society which promotes realization of economic goals and at the same time making sure that different individuals end up living better lives. This should be the dream of every nation towards the development of the economy.

Social classes assume a crucial job in unique of families. The meaning of social class is questionable and has no plainly plot definition. Anyway it is accepted to be a mix of various angles, for example, one’s life possibilities or assets, one’s status gathering, or the individuals who offer comparative ways of life and one’s training level make up a people social class. Subsequently, in a perfect set up there would be four social cases the upper, center, working, and poor classes and these are the four that I will use to recognize the distinction in how guardians bring up their youngsters crosswise over social classes. One fundamental impact that causes a polarization of social classes are guardians financial assets and training level, in this way affecting the employments guardians have and the accessibility they may need to put resources into their youngster’s life. Anyway the key attributes that impact the manners in which parent bring up their kids are the way they sort out their kid’s day by day life, the utilization of language around their kids, and through social cooperation’s. Anyway the two principle approaches crosswise over social class guardians take in bringing up their kid are normal development and purposeful development. Deliberate development way to deal with child rearing is when guardians look to effectively improve their kids’ gifts, and assessments Guardians are for the most part school taught and have occupations that take into consideration money related dependability inside the family. In Jamaica, It is no doubt that children from higher class family tend to get a better education than those from the lower class families due to financial stabability. Students from higher class family are better equipped with the tools for school, they are also able to attended school regular. In addition, the schools that are considered “traditional” have received tablets while the others do not even have textbooks. Inclusivity must be something as country we try and establish. Getting rid of classism and understanding that Jamaica will ultimately become a better place for all if we all had similar opportunities to excel.

Another issue that must be examined is the fact that there are several disabled students that are kept at home because they are unable to attend school. Parents that doesn’t have the financial backing may no longer be able to give their child a good education because of the expense associated with either getting a prosthesis for an amputated leg or arm. We don’t even have to look that far, let us examine the number of students who are now crippled and are without the common comfort of a wheel chair to take them comfortable from one point to the other. Many families would go through all their life savings in an attempt to give that physically challenge child a fighting chance. Inspire Jamaica a Programmed of CVM Television has featured several of those cases where these life altering equipment’s are donated to children in an attempt to get them a chance at a better life. An article Jovia Lee Stephens was one of the child whose story was shared on inspire Jamaica. (Brown, 2019) Stated that “thousands of children across the island are excited as they prepare for September morning”. Unfortunately for young Jovia Lee Stephens it was a challenge for her due to the fact that she has rickets and her family is not fortunate enough to provide the necessary things for her to go out to school, hence she had to turn to inspire Jamaica for help.

There is an old Jamaican saying “to be poor is a crime” and that has proven to be just more than a saying. If we look on the demographics of the youth in Jamaica that are involved in crime we will realize that these youths are mostly from the inner cities of Jamaica. Their parents are referred to as “hustlers. These children had no choice but to also earn their keep by becoming hustlers themselves, most of whom have never been to school on a Friday because they had to be in the market selling with their parents or on the streets begging. These are conditions being faced by many children in our society today and is directly related to the inequalities in our education system.

It has been said many time that education is the key to success, however it seem as if only a fraction of society has access to this key that can open so many doors for our youths. A line of a song by a popular Jamaican artiste Ritchie Spice rightfully ask “if education is the key, then why them make it so expensive fi we”? The line of this song shows the inequality in our education system and the fact that education is not easily access by all.

The inequality in our education system goes beyond the mere affordability of one student to attend a particular school over the other. It also has to do with the way in what the quote and quote poor child is also looked at. When a child parent has what it takes to flash their riches around their children gets better treatment at school. These well to do parent are the “big spenders”, they are the ones being called in to make donations at different school functions. When the children of these rich parents gets in trouble at school there are not scolded as much as the poor child whose parents are not able to make the type of contribution as the other, why,? Because administrators are afraid of losing the contribution they get from these parents to run the different programs they have in their school. These poorer class students are sometimes treated unfairly not because they would have done something wrong, but simple because they are from a poor background and are not able to “grease the palm” of the school administrators. Teachers sometimes shows favoritism towards students who are of a higher class because they know they will get a myriad of gifts come Teachers Day and on other special occasions.

Inequalities comes in different forms in our society and will continue to be a issue if we do not see each person contribution to society as valuable. Each individual whether rich or poor, disabled or abled body, whether they are a part of a traditional or nontraditional learning institution all have a role to play in the development and growth of our society. They must all get the right tool needed to become self-sufficient and empowered to become whatever it is they want to be. They altitude should not be determined by the disability or economic status, but be propelled by their abilities and drive to do what is it they want to become. These dreams must be facilitated and nurtured by systems of inclusivity put in place by the government. These individuals whether poor or disabled are a part of our society and will become a burden on society if the government doesn’t get rid of the inequalities that now exists in the current system.

This paper will discusses inequality in the distribution of educational resource with the reference to realisation of the common good in both local and global context. The challenges in this tropic is important because education distribution has not only been a local issue but has impacted globally in various ways. This paper will further discuss the understanding of common good and its relationships to other Catholic social thoughts principles. Hence, this article will focus on how nurses can contribute to various challenges related to inequality in distribution of educational resources.

Around the globe, in each nation inequality in educational resource is a huge issue which is related to the major challenges in every society. Thus, it still appears that the civilisation is less attentive to this situation even after knowing the fact that the equality in education improvise the guarantee to be in a better position in a society fro every human being (Pardeck, 2008). The poor government police and ignorance of the society towards the management of education system is the main cause of this situation. It is a matter of concern because the principle of Common Good is not recognised locally and globally beacuse it represents a nation that works together to build a nation with equal distribution of resources to each and every individual (CCEW,2010).Despite historical, socio-economical and geographical variation the common good and catholic thoughts teaches how every individual should be treated equally and at the same level. According to CCEW, 2010 the Common good represents a nation that includes partnership, fulfilment, solidarity and flourishing the need of the people of different level.

Unequal distribution of educational resources in Australia is extensive and it also manifest a variety of ways such as funding and teachers coverage to access to learning and educational resources (Admanson, 2015). According to the research inequality in distribution of education resource is everywhere around the world. This is the result of very less development in the society. Social problems are faced in almost every part of the world also demonstrates inequality in distribution of educational resources (Sullivan, 2011). Although, the government and the nation have tried to solve this but it has not given a satisfactory solution yet (Ginsburg,2018). As estimated 617 million children and adolescents around the world are not able to meet the minimum proficiency level in reading and learning , although two third of them are going to school (UNICEF,2018). This is the consequence of lack of inadequate learning materials, trained and qualified teachers, make shift classes and also poor sanitation makes learning difficult to the children. Similarly, the report also says that there are more non- learners in the schools than out of the school.

As nursing is my profession, despite of these factors the role of the nurses in this challenge at the global level is to practice the nursing code of conduct as it sets out all the legal requirements, professional behaviour and conduct that is expected from all the nurses. This plays an important role because generally, an individual nurse have their own personal value but the code of conduct ties every nurses in one row so that the nursing facility is equal and even to every individual receiving care (NMBA,2018). Nurses including other health care professional can contribute by addressing the obstacles and finding the solutions in order to diminish the inequality in distribution of educational resources in both locall and global context. Health professionals have greater understanding and knowledge to critically think how educational resource crisis can impact the children, adolescents, and their entire future (Clendon,2018).

In the context of developing and developed countries alike illiteracy resulted from unequal distribution of educational resources is very common. Depending upon factors originated from sex, socioeconomic factor, cultural diversity are the key to the better education to a child. To resolve this issue health professional can travel the world especially, the developing countries and conduct conduct awareness programs on managing the lifestyle and importance of the proper education to the community people. Being a nurse, I can contribute by analysing the issues that the community is facing and the reasons that are causing inequality in education and resources.

One of the major factor increasing educational resource crisis in developing country is poor sanitation supply to the children in school. Many children are facing this challenge because they come to school hungry, tired and exhausted from household activities (UNICEF,2018).Hence, supporting these children will help them in better learning. I can also provide health education on proper sanitation because a good health is very important in any aspect of life. Similarly, I can help children in advance learning because it is very important that a child receives better education along with access to all the educational resources which helps them to achieve a secure and bright future including factors such as intellectual and social development ( Schweiger and Graft, 2015).

Another step to minimise inequality in distribution of educational resource is to manage the governmental conflicts and focus on development of educational system world wide to resolve the ongoing issue. Advocacy is an important strategy that allows individual to act smoothly and professionally for the welfare of the community, nation and the word so as a nurse my first priority is to become an advocate to those children’s who are facing inequality. In order to extend, children in countries from Middle East and South Africa (for instance Syria) are always bereft of education facilities for lifetime, unless the governmental conflict is ongoing. As stated by UNICEF,2018 over 2 million of the children remain out of the school and 1.3 million are at the risk of dropping out from school in Syria, only because of the attack in educational facilities. Being a nurse I can contribute by joining the non- profit organisations such as UNICEF, UNESCO, WHO who facilitates the children by providing care and services that they are in need of because schooling does not ends to learning always.This is vital to protect principle of common good.

Article twenty-eight of convection on the right of the child not only states that all the children have right to education but also specifies that the students should be motivated to go to the school by offering them with all the facilities and resources including technology as per required (UNHR, 1990).

To conclude, inequality in distribution of educational resource exist in almost every part of the world but to make sure that the contribution to educational resource management to protect the principle of common good is vital. The principle of common good is the right to every individual despite of any discrimination because it belongs to everyone. A nurse can play an important role to meet this principle and should be implicated by any person in similar way because it can be only fulfilled if we all work together. It is our responsibility to participate and promote peace in society, locally and globally.

School inequality is a very vast, well-known issue in the United States. People who live in poor neighborhoods typically do not go to high-quality schools. Fixing this problem, or at least trying to fix it, can improve education all around and give children a better chance in their academic careers. Not only in their educational careers but in life in general as it gives them stability and something to work at. Not fixing this problem will result in more children not receiving the education they need to attend a college and not receiving as many job opportunities as other children with a better education. This could affect how children grow up and tamper with their ability to reach their full potential. Children’s education and opportunities beyond their schooling are at stake if no one resolves this issue. Providing equal education for children in poor communities is a complicated issue to resolve because of the lack of government funding.

Many people believe that the government should improve the funding in these poor communities. “Poverty must not be a bar to learning, and learning must be an escape from poverty”, said President Lyndon Johnson. Just because a student grows up in a poor neighborhood should not determine what type of education he receives. Their address should not limit their ability to earn a quality high school diploma. It should not also define who they are going to be when they are older. They should have the same expectations for themselves as people who have a higher status than them. Students should not have to think about how their family is in poverty and they should be able to focus on their schooling and education. Depending on the community’s property wealth, a school might struggle with the complication of outdated equipment and unpaid bills. The school will have its focus on the complications and not the quality of the children’s education. The state’s ‘funding formula’ is where the state gives funding to elementary and secondary schools. It is supposed to fill the gap when local property taxes fall short. A lot of students will drop out of school to work and help provide for their families. This is where they are lacking out of their education and holding back their full potential in the classroom.

If we do not fix this problem, many children around the United States will be missing out on educational opportunities. A majority of the money allocated to schools is from the state government. The state’s formula for funding public education is dissipating only seven years after Missouri lawmakers first calculated it. This does not help the issue because if the state runs out of money, schools will have less money than they currently do. In an article written by Elizabeth Hagedom, she talks about two very different schools in Missouri. The first school is “located in suburban St. Louis, Ladue Horton Watkins High School offers 26 MSHSAA sports and activities, maintains state-of-the-art facilities, and has some of the nation’s highest Advanced Placement college credit test scores”. The next school Hagedom discusses is Cabool High School in the Missouri Ozarks. A senior from Cabool says that “energy efficiency is awful, the windows are awful, the flooring is awful”. These quotes show just how much school districts can differ even if they are only a few hours away. Ladue has a more prominent school and is allocated a larger amount of funding than Cabool, so they have an educational advantage, whereas Cabool does not have as much funding and is struggling to keep a positive school.

If the government would provide more funding in poor communities, then providing adequate education for children in different school districts would not be so difficult. Although it takes the government a great deal of money to fund all of the schools, funding them more equally will lessen the gap between school districts. The government should improve funding in poor communities so that everyone has an equal chance at education.