Urban Poverty: Educational Inequality in Singapore

The reality is, in our highly competitive society, the starting points are unequal to begin with as students from low-socioeconomic status (SES) households have greater odds stacked against them.

According to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report in 2015, students from less affluent families are three times more likely to be low performers compared to their wealthier counterparts.

In Singapore, education and poverty are inextricably linked as the former is often seen as the main route for social mobility – a crucial factor in a family’s ability to break out of the poverty cycle. Our students from lower-income families are encouraged to gain upward mobility through the education system, that includes standardised testing, affordable fees, and subsidies.

However, a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reveals that the playing field may not be as level as we would like to think.

The report, titled Equity in Education: Breaking Down Barriers to Social Mobility, states that in 2015, 46% of disadvantaged students in Singapore were attending "disadvantaged schools", up from 41% in 2009. Disadvantaged schools are defined as those which take in the bottom 25% of the student population, and poorer students in these schools face the disadvantage of not having access to the best resources.

Doesn’t every child deserve a chance to strive toward a brighter future?

A multitude of overlapping factors shape a child’s ability (or inability) to do well in school, and it usually begins in their home environment.

For instance, parents who have higher socioeconomic status (SES) are typically more involved in their children’s education. With greater financial stability, they may be better able to guide their child or provide access to tuition and positively influence their child’s study habits and attitude towards education.

According to a report by the Department of Statistics Singapore in 2019, the top 20% of households according to income spend four times more on tuition than those in the bottom 20%.

Many lower-income parents are unable to help their children in their school work given their long working hours as some even hold multiple jobs to increase household income. At the same time, they also cannot afford tuition to teach their children. Very often, the children find themselves lagging behind their peers who have parents with more resources.

This social inequality gap was further highlighted during the pandemic when schools implemented Home-based Learning (HBL), where children in lower-income families lacked access to the internet and digital devices to participate in online learning. According to figures provided by the Ministry of Education, about 12,500 laptops or tablets, as well as 1,200 Internet-enabling devices, such as dongles were loaned to students who do not have enough devices at home for HBL.

At the same time, young persons in low-SES households may lack social or parental support at home to meet their emotional needs. Many times, they need to “grow up faster” by taking on more adult responsibilities such as chores or taking care of siblings. As such, they end up sacrificing their own needs, such as pursuits of friendship or education in order to fulfil their familial duties.

Educational disadvantage can also be an intergenerational issue that makes it even harder for individuals to beat the odds. A 2012 study by NTU found that an adult with a tertiary-level educated father is 35% more likely to graduate from university than counterparts with primary educated fathers.

To end the cycle of intergenerational poverty and help equalise the starting lines, early and holistic intervention is of utmost importance.

Over the years, various avenues of support have been introduced in efforts to bridge the educational inequality gap and give students from low-income families a boost in school and life.

Key recent initiatives spearheaded by the government include stronger after-school support schemes for at-risk youths, such as the Uplift Enhanced School Resourcing programme, and early-childhood programme KidStart that equips parents from low-income families with the know-how to support their child’s development from birth.

Collaborative efforts between the government, non-profit organisations (NPOs), and the community are also underway; for instance, The Uplift Community Network connects students from disadvantaged families with social service agencies and volunteers who provide mentorship and regular check-ins.

As of 2019, there are 176 kidREAD clubs – a nationwide reading programme by Programmes by the National Library of Singapore – where volunteers perform reading sessions for underprivileged children.

NPOs and volunteer-run outfits that work to support literacy and education include Engineering Good (which empowers vulnerable communities through digital inclusion initiatives), ReadAble (which runs weekly ready and language arts classes for children and youths in Jalan Kukoh), and Children’s Wishing Well (which provides a range of services to support both the educational and daily living needs of disadvantaged youth), to name a few.

How are corporate organisations playing their part? The ST School Pocket Money Fund provides financial aid to help low-income families afford school-related expenses like bus fares and recess meals. More companies are also working directly with NPOs to fund bursaries or offer financial aid; for instance, Eastspring Singapore has pledged to fund $2,000 worth of vouchers for child beneficiaries under the Yellow Ribbon’s Yellow Brick Road programme created to support families of the incarcerated.

What else can be done?

All of these programmes are important and beneficial in narrowing inequalities. However, beyond these approaches, reducing educational inequality is also about having a mindset shift to create a more compassionate culture in society, one that actively avoids perpetuating stereotypes and making assumptions about students’ academic abilities based on their background.

For instance, encouraging our children to look out for classmates around them who might be struggling, or offering to tutor a child in need.

Whether you’re an individual or a corporation, we can all play a part to make education more accessible and equitable for all. Together, we can equalise the starting lines and inspire hope and a brighter future for the next generation.

• Excellence and equity in Education by OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)  (2015)
  
• Equity in Education Breaking Down Barriers to Social Mobility (2018)
  
• A Call For Collaborative Giving by Colabs (2018)
  
• Educational inequality in Singapore : the impact of family background on the schooling of children (2012)
  
• Education Survey by Beyond Research (2017)
  
• Long-term Effects of Parents’ Education on Children’s Educational and Occupational Success: Mediation by Family Interactions, Child Aggression, and Teenage Aspirations (2009)
  
• Study On The Experiences Of Lower Income Households In Singapore by MSF (2011)
  
• A comparative study of family social capital and literacy practices in Singapore (2013)
  
• CNA: Commentary: Can education fix inequality in Singapore? If not, what can? (2018)
  
• ST: When poor children in school don’t dream big (2018)