SOSC 103D Social Inequality in HK Lecture 25: Family and Education

L25: Education and Social Inequality Social OriginSocial Destination Education

L25: Unequal access to education in HK Composition of University Students in 1981 and 2001 (David Post, 2003 p.558)

L25: Family Effects The role of family background in affecting children’s educational outcome – through various mechanisms o How do parents transmit their advantage or disadvantage to their children? o How do the family and parents make the difference? o What is happening inside the family?!

L25: Primary Effects Class differences in educational grades Genetic effects Lack of endowment for educational success Research on IQ Parental investment Material resources spend on children Time spend with children

L25: Different types of families and their relations on parental investment and involvement 1.Family income 2.Parents’ educational level 3.Parents’ occupational status - Type of occupations - Number of parents are employed 4.Family structure - Single-parent families - Step families 5.Size and composition of siblings 6.Races and ethnicity

L25: Secondary Effects There are class differences in educational attainment even when students ’ academic achievements are controlled!!! Class differences in educational choice (i.e. stay or leave school) 1. Decision on the years of schooling 2. Decision on the level of schooling

L25: Secondary effect concern about the decision made in each school transition. Decision on whether to continue education or not Decision on the type of schooling Decision on the subject that we’re going to take in the school Hong Kong’s Case: Vocational training or academic-track after open exam? Faculties we choose in University

L25: Secondary Effects (cont’) 1.Resources effect - The real cost of further education – income foregone 2.Aspiration effect - The goal is set according to social origin - The tendency of risk-aversion 3.Cultural/ value effect - Cultural deprivation

L25: Example 1: A Band 3 Secondary School in Kwun Tong Students’ Family Profiles: Working classes family 50% are CSSA recipients Large amount of single-parent families Every week, about 2 to 3 new immigrants will knock the school door for school seats (Required by EMB) Parents with long working hours

L25: Example 1: A Band 3 Secondary School in Kwun Tong (Con’t) Students’ education performance and attainment: Each year, only 2 to 3 students enter local universities Major reason for failing to enter university: Students’ poor English language ability (Most F.1 students’ language ability: P.4 Level) Most F. 5 school leavers study Foundation diploma IVE Most F. 7 school leavers study High diploma in IVE

L25: Example 1: A Band 3 Secondary School in Kwun Tong (Con’t) Learning Environment CMI, Gangsters, members of triad society, drug abuser Students’ Aspiration ¼ of F.3 students have no aspiration to continue their studies ½ of F.6 students have no aspiration to enter universities

L25: Example 1: A Band 3 Secondary School in Kwun Tong (Con’t) School’s Strategy Focus on marketing and image polishing for prospective students, not on current students Objective: attract students outside Kwun Tong to apply the school so as to recruit better quality of newly-admitted F.1 students “We don’t expect we can have graduates who are prominent figures in the society; we only want our students not to commit crimes”

L25: Example 1: A Band 3 Secondary School in Kwun Tong (Con’t) Some Analyses: Effect of District based Allocation System ( 分區派位 ) --> clustering of working class students Lack of Aspiration of further study: Peer effect Parents’ encouragement to work (become breadwinner to support family) Lacking of Social Capital