Socio-Economic Class and Education

This article discusses the effects of socio-economic class on education in New Zealand, highlighting the disparities in academic performance and the need for intervention programs and reforms in the education system.

Running head: SOCIO-ECONOMIC CLASS AND EDUCATION
Socio-Economic Class and Education
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1SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS AND EDUCATION
Socio-economic status (SES) may be defined as a complete and thorough assessment
of the economic and sociological features of an individual’s work experience and their
family’s societal position (Schwendicke et al., 2015). Thus, this socio-economic status refers
to the social standing of a particular individual or group. The focal point of this discussion
is to assess the effects of the socio-economic class in New Zealand.
It is widely recognized that the socio-economic status has a direct influence on the
education of a country. Even though the education system in New Zealand advocates for
equality on all levels, it has been recognized that the students who possess a higher
socio-economic status seem to perform at a higher level than those with a lower status
level. Additionally, it has been evaluated that those who belong to a lower socio-economic
status tend to develop their academic skills at a lower rate than those who are more fortunate
(Mirowsky, 2017). For example, those who belong to a low SES during their childhood are
seen to lag behind when it comes to cognitive development, memory and language.
Hence, this decreased rate of academic performance results in students dropping out
of college. In fact, it can also be recognized that the families who belong to a lower SES lack
in academically encouraging the children in their family. Thus, their vocabulary and oral
language skills blossom at a later rate as compared to those who belong to a higher SES.
Moreover, those with a lower SES tend to lack an ambience of fostering literacy and
education. Therefore, the poorer household do not have a free access to learning materials
and books. This tendency can be altered by introducing a couple of intervention programs
that would foster a proactive learning environment. Moreover, the school systems also need
to be heavily reformed. They must intend to extensively assist those students who belong to a
lower SES.

2SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS AND EDUCATION
Thus, it can be deduced that belonging to a lower SES in New Zealand can negatively
impact education. However, with certain measures the gap between the various economic
statuses can be bridged as well. Hence, it is understood that providing equal facilities for all
of the children in New Zealand would lead to a fruitful academic experience.

3SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS AND EDUCATION
References
Mirowsky, J. (2017). Education, social status, and health. Routledge.
Schwendicke, F., Dörfer, C. E., Schlattmann, P., Page, L. F., Thomson, W. M., & Paris, S.
(2015). Socioeconomic inequality and caries: a systematic review and meta-
analysis. Journal of dental research, 94(1), 10-18.