Educational Experiences And Achievements In Regards To Inequarity A Case Study Of Caribbean Ethnic Minority Students

Educational Experiences And Achievements In Regards To Inequarity A Case Study Of Caribbean Ethnic Minority Students.

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TOC o “1-3” h z u HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440503” ABSTRACT PAGEREF _Toc29440503 h 3

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440504” Introduction PAGEREF _Toc29440504 h 4

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440505” 1. O: BACKGROUND INFORMATION PAGEREF _Toc29440505 h 5

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440506” 1.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT PAGEREF _Toc29440506 h 7

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440507” BROAD OBJECTIVES PAGEREF _Toc29440507 h 7

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440508” SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES PAGEREF _Toc29440508 h 8

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440509” RESEARCH QUESTIONS PAGEREF _Toc29440509 h 8

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440510” SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY PAGEREF _Toc29440510 h 8

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440511” SCOPE OF THE STUDY PAGEREF _Toc29440511 h 8

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440512” 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW PAGEREF _Toc29440512 h 9

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440513” 2.1 Class and educational inequality PAGEREF _Toc29440513 h 10

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440514” 2.2 How gender manifest itself in educational inequality PAGEREF _Toc29440514 h 12

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440515” 2.2.1 Discrimination Against women in Literacy and Education:- PAGEREF _Toc29440515 h 13

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440516” 2.2.2 Intersectionality and resilience PAGEREF _Toc29440516 h 14

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440517” 3.0 Methodology PAGEREF _Toc29440517 h 16

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440518” 3.1INTRODUCTION PAGEREF _Toc29440518 h 16

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440519” 3.2 PROCEDURE PAGEREF _Toc29440519 h 17

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440520” 3.5.3 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY PAGEREF _Toc29440520 h 17

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440521” 4.0 Result findings. PAGEREF _Toc29440521 h 17

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440522” 4.1 Differences in experience of education and achievement by Ethnicity PAGEREF _Toc29440522 h 17

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440523” 4.2 The way Ethnicity interacts with Gender and class in shaping Education of an individual PAGEREF _Toc29440523 h 23

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440524” 4.3 Contemporary views that explain the differences in experience of education and achievement by ethnicity. PAGEREF _Toc29440524 h 25

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440525” 4.3.1 IQ Theory PAGEREF _Toc29440525 h 25

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440526” 4.3.2 Language PAGEREF _Toc29440526 h 26

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440527” 4.3.3 Family life PAGEREF _Toc29440527 h 27

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440528” 5. CONCLUSION PAGEREF _Toc29440528 h 28

HYPERLINK l “_Toc29440529” Reference List PAGEREF _Toc29440529 h 31

ABSTRACTRacial difference can be said to be the biological difference which is found between people who differ in hair texture, skin color, the shape of the nose and eyes among others. These differences have been seen to be correlated with cultural and intellectual differences. This suggests the superiority in culture and intellectual among the people from the white race. Genetics have shown that the difference between the biological races is very much reduced. It is therefore possible to have a black person having the same genetic similarities with a white person. Sociologists therefore aim at investigating whether the biological differences have any impact on the education achievement.

Even if the relationship found between the education achievement and ethnicity vary with respect to age of the groups being compared, there is evidence that the Caribbean boys, Bangladeshi and Pakistani students studying in UK are not very successful as compared to the white students. The issue for instance on the low attainment of the black people in school is odd when put together with post compulsory experience in school. In this view, it is evident that black students who have GCSE results below or within the median have high likely hood of attending the higher education as compared to white students with the same results. Material factors are very much significant as compared to cultural factors when it comes to the education failure in the working class.

Student from the minority communities face a lot of cultural challenges which tend to undermine the prospects of education. One of them could be the fact that in the Asian community, English isn’t their language. Also the Caribbean people use the Patois and Creole in speaking and also writing which is not Standard English. The frequent use of these languages may make them not able to understand the formal language. This may make the students from these communities fail to understand questions as well as answer the questions in a manner that the examiner will understand.

IntroductionInequality in education is the lack of equal opportunities which is as a result of disparities in quality of education or other factors. It is evident that not all people have equal opportunities of getting better education by being able to afford private tuition and private schools hence outlining the fact that inequality in education still exist within our educational framework today.

The dissertation aims to explore the readily accepted ideals of inequality that are used in explanation of the differences in experience of education and achievement by ethnicity and whether these accepted ideals need to give way to a more contemporary outlook on the issues. The dissertation will use the secondary research method where I will use the information obtained from the library books, journals, magazines and government papers to get the information about the education achievement and experience. The research aims at identifying the differences in experience of education and achievement by ethnicity, assess the way ethnicity intersects and interacts with influences of gender and class in shaping the outcome and experience of the education of an individual and finally identify whether there are any differing contemporary views which try to explain the differences in experience of education and achievement by ethnicity. The paper will then have a conclusion where I will summarize the results and then give recommendations and the way forward.

1. O: BACKGROUND INFORMATIONEducational inequality refers to the to the lack of equal opportunities that people have as a result of disparities in quality of education or other factors. However, people have the same opportunities from when we start school, hence its up to the individual to decide what they want to do within the educational framework and as a result they argue out that each individual has the chance to do use education to their advantage , on the other hand, it is important to note that not all people have equal opportunities of getting better education by being able to afford private tuition and private schools hence outlining the fact that inequality in education still exist within our educational framework today.

The major function of education is the transmission of society’s norms and values. Society can survive only if there exists among its members a sufficient degree of homogeneity; education perpetuates and reinforces this homogeneity by fixing in the child from the beginning the essential similarities which collective life demands (social trends, 1994). A vital task for all societies is the welding of a mass of individuals into a united whole, in other words the creation of social solidarity. This involves a commitment to society, a sense of belonging and a feeling that the social unit is more important than the individual. Durkheim argued that education, and in particular the teaching of history, provides this link between the individual and society. If the history of their society is brought alive to children, they will come to see that they are part of something larger than themselves: they will develop a sense of commitment to the social group.

Education is seen as a means of role allocation, but they link the educational system more directly with the system of social stratification. Social stratification is seen to be a mechanism for ensuring that the most talented to those positions which are functionally most important for society. High rewards which act as incentives are attached to those positions; this means that all will compete for them and the most talented will win through. Education system is very necessary when it comes to this process. In Davis’s words,

“it is the proving ground for ability and hence the selective agency for placing people in different statuses according to their capacities”

Thus the educational system shifts sorts and grades individuals in terms of their talents and abilities. It provides rewards to the very talented students who have high qualifications, which later provide entry to the occupations that are identified as the most important in the society.

According to symbolism interactions theorist explanations of differential achievement that we have examined so far all suggest that pupils’ progress in education is strongly influenced by factors over which individuals have little control. Intelligence as well as home background has been presented as the ones that determine the pupils’ performance within the system of education. Yet the very obvious place one can get the explanation of achievement in the differential educational is only in the educational system. None of the previous approaches is based upon an examination of schooling, but it is widely assumed that schools play an important part in determining educational success and failure. Most of the parents spend quite a lot of money so that their young children can attend schools. They do so in the effort of ensuring that their children have better education.

Before the establishment of comprehensives many parents were also anxious that their children gained a place at grammar schools, assuming that this would prove advantageous for their children. Supporters of the comprehensive system hoped that when all children in state education attended the same type of school, class inequalities in educational achievement would be greatly reduced. This did not happen. Despite comprehensives, class inequalities remain, and this has led to an emphasis on examining the differences in treatment that pupils receive even when they are attending the same school. Interactionists have illuminated the processes within the education system that result in different levels of achievement. It is interactionists, far more than any other type of sociologist, who has researched into the details of day-to-day life in schools.

Psychologists and sociologists have explained performance in the education system in terms of intelligence, cultural and material deprivation and social stratification. All these approaches are, from the interactionist point of view, deterministic; that is, they see human behavior as directed and determined by forces beyond the control of the individual. Individuals are held to react in a predictable way to external stimuli such as the directives of subcultures or the pressures of stratification systems.

1.1 PROBLEM STATEMENTEthnicity, class and gender have always been a source of inequalities especially in education that past sociologist base their theories on. These inequalities have continued to manifest themselves today within our society in various sectors like government structures within different countries and lack of education resources. The educational resources have always contributed to the marginalization of some ethnic groups thereby contributing largely to educational inequality within the society today.

BROAD OBJECTIVESWhether we can rely on the established notions to explain the differences in education achievements and experience are affected by ethnicity.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVESTo identify the differences in experience of education and achievement by ethnicity

To find out the way ethnicity intersects and interacts with influences of gender and class in shaping the outcome and experience of the education of an individual.

To identify whether there are any differing contemporary views which try to explain the differences in experience of education and achievement by ethnicity

RESEARCH QUESTIONSWhat are the differences in experience of education and achievement by ethnicity?

Examine the way ethnicity intersects and interacts with influences of gender and class in shaping the outcome and experience of the education of an individual.

Are there any differing contemporary views which try to explain the differences in experience of education and achievement by ethnicity? If yes, what are they?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDYThe study is aimed at providing a basis for making education affordable and accessible to all within the society today irrespective of gender, class or ethnicity.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The information was collected from the secondary data a case example of young students from London and Nottingham. (Wright, 2012). The researcher considered all subjects within that area of study who were between the ages of 14 and 19 who had experienced permanent school exclusion, they were draw from both private and public schools within that given field of study and Additional data are provided from over 60 interviews with contacts nominated by the young people, including community and social workers, mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings and friends.

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEWThe enduring inequalities experienced by black students in schools in England have been extensively documented (Wright et al., 2000). The literature shows that black students attain persistently lower outcomes at age 16 than their white peers. Recent reviews of research indicate that black children commenced their schooling with high ability and show themselves to be capable students but, as they get older, their achievements decline (Wright, 1987a; Rhamie, 2007). Although black students persistently achieve lower outcomes at age 16, in 2007 their outcomes were slightly higher than those of children of Pakistani origin. The variation in educational achievement (particularly for black male students) is also linked to high exclusion (or suspension) rates (Wright et al., 2010). The explanations and responses to the plight of black students within the British education system is said to be;

“Within general educational discourse black children’s schooling experiences and underperformance have been ascribed to; inter alia, deficits, cultural differences and family practices. Moreover, the discourse in Britain concerning black children as a problem to be managed is also reflected historically and contemporaneously through social policy. For example, social policy initiatives employed to respond to black children in British schools have taken the form of assimilation to the current ‘colour blind’ approaches which have entailed the erasure of ‘race’ from policy…” (Wright, 2010).

Further, Tomlinson (2008) has argued

“Although there have been some positive legislative and policy developments, particularly the use of civil law and human rights legislation to penalize racial discrimination, the education system over the past 50 years has developed within a socio-political context in which there has been a lack of political will to ensure that all groups were fairly and equitably treated”.

In relation to the evident continuing discrimination and racial inequality prevalent in education, and more widely in contemporary British society, attention is drawn to the neoliberal and management directions of policy within the education sphere (Ball, 2008; Tomlinson, 2008).

2.1 Class and educational inequalityRecognizing the multidimensional character of identity and position increases the question: Are some dimensions more fundamental than others? Is class more fundamental than gender or ethnicity? If so, explanation would adopt a reductionist form in which ethnic and gender and status differences would ultimately dissolve into class differences. Feminists adopting a standpoint perspective, however, hold that gender requires a distinct body of theory and concepts qualitatively different from those of the ‘male’ theory of class, and that ‘feminist method’ is different in kind from ‘male’ method .For them, theories and methods are constitutively gendered and, hence, radically discontinuous and incommensurable.

In defense of the priority of class, the difference that sets class inequality apart from both gender and ethnic in-equality. This is that, in the public sphere and in general principle alike, the latter two operate in large measure through the former. Inequalities between men and women, between blacks/browns and whites–for that matter between Catholics and Protestants in a Protestant dominated society–come to major expression as inequalities of class; but not vice versa. As he points out, ‘women experience their social subordination especially though not only by way of poor placement in the structure of class’ and similarly for blacks. To make this point is not to return to class reductionism (class inequalities and modes of discrimination do not exhaust those of gender and race), but to note an important asymmetry in the relation between these inequalities so as to view their relationships as interactive and relational rather that as ‘conceptually parallel dimensions of inequality’ associated with paradigmatic differences in theory and method. Within the American context, there have been a similar observation about the class and race relation, but makes a different point in order to explain the persistence of racial inequalities in education. He constructs a set of careful distinctions to define the specificity of ‘racial stratification’ as separate from class. He argues that although social inequality is universal, social stratification is not. Stratification occurs when groups are defined by certain criteria (e.g. colour, sex), then ranked relative to each other, and individuals are treated according to group membership. He defines stratification in this way: A stratified society is a society in which there is a differential relationship between members of its constituent groups and the society’s fundamental resources, so that some people (e.g. white Americans), by virtue of their membership in particular social groups, have almost unimpaired access to the strategic resources, while some other people (e.g. black Americans), by virtue of their own membership in other social groups, have various impediments in their access to the same strategic or fundamental resources. In addition, the different social groups in the hierarchy are separated by cultural and invidious distinctions that serve to maintain social distance between them. In a stratified society there is usually an overarching ideology, a folk or/and scientific ‘theory’ embodying the dominant group’s rationalizations or explanations of the hierarchical ordering of the groups.

Subordinated groups do not necessarily accept the rationalization of the system; however, they are not entirely free from its influence. Stratification can occur without class (e.g. in pre-industrial societies), and class does not necessarily entail stratification (as distinct from social in-equality). Individuals can change class, but in a racially stratified society cannot change their color and what that entails. Strata membership is assigned on the basis of ascribed (assumed intrinsic) characteristics, whereas class membership is achieved and marked by external characteristics (such as socio-economic status). Strata contain classes (e.g. middle-class black Americans), but those of the inferior strata are not continuous with the same class in the dominant group. A black American can achieve a high class status, but still suffer the consequences of racial stratification and be segregated from whites.

2.2 How gender manifest itself in educational inequalityIn India over the last half-century has seen the rise in salience of hitherto ignored inequalities in traditional formulations of the social sciences class and poverty cultural handicaps and linguistic disadvantages had in addition to a much less emphatically started rural urban differentiation. For long it has been recognized as the cause as well as effect of educational disadvantage women. Backward castes and untouchable castes and Tribe should always been known to be educationally disadvantaged, but were overlooked in academic discourse, given the prevailing social ethos, the weak social and political position of the groups concerned and possibly non unrelated the state of the art in the social sciences themselves, for comparable opposite reason now the terms of the question have changed and a turn, almost unbalanced in its magnitude and quality: has taken place in the direction of gender, caste and ethnicity as the material and salient factors. In what follows, an examination of the matter is attempted in the light of some relevant facts of pre-and post Independence history

Despite all efforts in 1990 these were 948 million illiterates in the world a figure which has not changed substantially since 1985. If efforts to deal with the problem are not intensified projections for the year 2000 indicate at best only a very slight decrease. Due to rapid population growth, poverty and politico-economic reasons, the number of illiterates is increasing continuously in the world. Normally in developing countries, the proportion of women literates is less that of literate men. Girls receive less health case and food than boys. A study in Bangladesh showed that 14% of girls as against 5% of boys are malnourished. Women typically work more but they are paid less compared to men they also mostly work in format sectors where pay levels to be power.

2.2.1 Discrimination Against women in Literacy and Education:-

Rapid population, Growth, poverty and certain political and economic mechanisms in society all linked to incomplete coverage of primary education for school age children, are at the root of the constant increase in the absolute no. of illiterates in the world. It is a fact that more women than men are illiterate, and there are many reasons for this. In most societies women have lower status than men. From childhood on they have less access to education and sometimes in food and health case as adults not only do they frequently receive less education but worth longer hours have lower incomes and little or no access to ownership of property. Even when the motivation is these, formidable obstacles remain. Foremost among them is probably Lack of time. The traditional or new roles that women fill rarely have them enough free time to devote to full-time or even part-time educational activities, fatigue, frequent or early pregnancies. Caring for child and families agricultural and cultural activities and formal and informal employment are among the many reasons for lack of time. This heavy work hood is reflected in the high rate of absenteeism and drop-out of women from literacy activities. The some reasons apply to girl’s schooling.

Organizational problem male instructions mixed gender classes considerable distance between home and the education centre lack of transport, evening courses and cultural clashes between instructors and participants are also constraints to women’s full participation in educational activities. Women’s education plays an imp role in children especially in relation to infant mortality levels. A study carried out by the research Triangle Institute (1990) in 80 developing countries indicated the an increase of 70 percent in girl’s enrolment in primary school together with a comparable growth in secondary education would after 20 years result in a decrees in the infant mortality rate of 20 per 1,000 live births. Such primary and secondary education for women would contribute to continuation of this decrease over and above other relevant development inputs such as increased per capital income level of urbanization.

2.2.2 Intersectionality and resilienceIntersectionality aims at opposing the feminist work of homogenizing the situations of women. (Yuval-Davis, 2011). It involves integrating the analysis of systems involved in oppression and the intersection of race, gender, and social class in the black women lives. The approach looks at the way gender, class, race and others intersect so as to affect the lives of people and their social behavior. Crenshaw, (1989) talked of the term intersectionality while discussing the employment of black women. There was frequent use of this concept especially in the feminist work in the ay women are placed to be women and as a class of black women among others. The attempt aimed at avoiding reduction of women to a single category every time. This led to treating the so called social positions just like relational. One should note that intersecting the various dimensions of class, gender and race may lead to penalties or even privileges. This depends much on the positioning. Race is said to be gendered while gender is said to be racialised. What is supposed to be white male working class is far much different as compared to the black male working class. The minority groups and the blacks have come across the discrimination patterns without considering gender or social class.

Intersectionality is seen to be a proxy of the stratification theory. Social stratification connects to separate hierarchical locations in groups or even in individuals on the grid of power in the society. Yuval-Davis (2011) outlines essence of the stratification theory when it comes to intersectionality. The debate on the relationship between education and power structure continues. The approach of intersectional stratification may be in a position of coming out with the understanding of this kind of problem. A theoretical framework that deals with the interaction between “habitus” and capital or resource forms is used. The capital notion to the education concept highlights the way inequalities in social class is produced in the after compulsory education and in schooling. For instance, money as well as the capital economic forms are important in reproduction of inequalities of education. This is because they can be used in purchasing certain forms of mobility and advantage. They could also be deployed in protecting costs, fixity as well as risks (Archer et al, 2007) The social capital shows the forms of the connection and social participation like the groups, facilities, communities and networks. Culture capital on the other hand is the increase in culture knowledge. Ability and skills that an individual possess or are inherited by a group of people who are privileged, the credentials that the elite groups and employer uses as a method of arbitrarily and unfairly screening out people and subordinate groups from certain social groups and privileged jobs. While using the analysis attention of Bourdieu, it has been brought to show the way middle class defend and generate the so called privileged positions. This is as a result of their deployment of symbolically legitimated, social and cultural economic forms. These are used to negotiate successfully with the educational markets. Capital in education is formulated in regard to the white communities. Therefore one is required to be very keen while extending the notion to these back communities.

The issue for instance on the low attainment of the black people in school is odd when put together with post compulsory experience in school. In this view, it is evident that black students who have GCSE results below or within the median have high likely hood of attending the higher education as compared to white students with the same results. Material factors are very much significant as compared to cultural factors when it comes to the education failure in the working class. Even if the factor has some truth for the black families, the quest they have of a good life which is to be achieved through acquiring good education is paramount without looking at the class. When discussing the experience of the established Caribbean community living in Britain one needs to note that the debate takes place with the regard of the way black community tries to respond and engage the race inequalities especially to education (Goulbourne, 2002).

3.0 MethodologyINTRODUCTIONThis chapter highlights the way the secondary research was done. The research mainly involved use of library books, journals government publications, magazines and articles which have information about ethic inequality and education systems. The results were then analyzed and written as the result findings. An example of the research was one that was done by Wright, (2010). The research was done to young Caribbean students were obtained from London and Nottingham. The research aims at identifying the differences in experience of education and achievement by ethnicity, assess the way ethnicity intersects and interacts with influences of gender and class in shaping the outcome and experience of the education of an individual and finally identify whether there are any differing contemporary views which try to explain the differences in experience of education and achievement by ethnicity.

3.2 PROCEDUREThe research will make use of secondary data. I intend to use the books, articles and journals, government publications and magazines which are available and have the information concerning the education inequality and achievements as a result of gender inequality, ethnicity and class.

3.5.3 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDYThe recommendations from this study will be used as a basis for implementation and change in structure of the educational framework today so as to curb out educational inequality within the society today.

4.0 Result findings.The research has looked at the differences in experience of education as well as achievement by ethnicity, assess the manner in which ethnicity intersects and interacts with influences of gender and class in shaping the outcome and experience of the education of an individual and has also looked into the differing contemporary views which try to explain the differences in experience of education and achievement by ethnicity.

4.1 Differences in experience of education and achievement by EthnicityThe information given below is obtained from a study of Youth Cohort for students aged 16 years. It shows the education achievement trend at the GCSE level. This was done between the years 1989 to 2004. This was according to students’ ethnicity that was estimated according to sample basis that ranged from 24922 to 13,698. (earlham sociology papers, 2013).

Year 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Weighted sample 14116   14511 24922   18020   15899   14622   13698   16707   14003

Percentage of the group defined at each row                                

White 30   35 37   43   45   47   50   52   55

Black 18   19 23   21   23   29   29   36   34

Asian 29   26 33   36   38   45   48   52   55

Indian n/a   n/a 38   45   48   54   60   60   72

Pakistani n/a   n/a 26   24   23   29   29   40   37

Bangladeshi n/a   n/a 14   20   25   33   29   41   45

Other Asian n/a   n/a 46   50   61   61   72   64   65

                                This data show that attainment of the ethnic groups shown have gradually improved though the ethnic inequalities in the achievement of education have remained. One thing that is evid