English Essay Writing Topic – Impact of Poverty on Education

 
Impact of Poverty on Education
 
It is terrible that education systems all over the world are being held to captivity due to poverty, both at the governmental and family levels, despite the fact that education is claimed to be so important for human progress and the revitalization of global economies. Children from low-income households are more likely to leave the school, either because their parents force them to do so or to help them earn more money on their own drop out and engage in child labour that contributes to school dropouts. This has an impact on school attendance. Although school is their best chance for the future, children from low-income homes are at risk because they drop out since their parents are unable to provide their fundamental necessities. On the other hand, poverty motivates people to pursue education and, of course, put in a lot of effort in the classroom without affecting their readiness for school. That’s because the problems associated with poverty are very serious, and students from poor families work hard to find solutions, with education being one of the best.

 

 

What is Poverty?

Lack of resources to meet necessities like food, clothing, and housing is what is meant by poverty. Not having enough money is only one aspect of poverty; there are many more. Along with financial problems, poverty also refers to being unable to engage in leisure activities, send kids on field trips with their classmates or to birthday parties, or afford to buy medicine for illnesses. Being impoverished comes with a lot of expenses. People who are struggling to make ends meet simply can’t think about these other costs. They can’t even think about buying food and housing. There are negative effects on society when people are marginalized from society, when they are undereducated, and when they are more prone to illness. Our economy is impacted by the rising costs placed on the health care, justice, and other systems that serve those who live in poverty. The World Bank is working harder to find indicators for the other aspects of poverty, even though there has been significant progress in measuring and studying poverty. This job entails identifying social indicators to monitor social exclusion, vulnerability, access to resources, and health and education. Poverty has numerous causes, and each one has a unique set of effects. The degree of poverty varies greatly depending on the circumstances. Within a nation’s borders, there can also be significant disparities between the rich and the poor. There are various ways to define poverty, but one thing is clear: it is a complicated social problem. Regardless of how poverty is defined, it is clear that it is a problem that needs to be addressed by everyone. To ensure that every person in our society has the chance to realize their full potential, it is crucial that everyone works together. We can all benefit from one another’s assistance.
 

 

What is Education?

Everybody can benefit from education, which is a crucial instrument. We are unique among earth’s inhabitants because of our education. As a result, man is the most intelligent being on the planet. Humans are empowered by it and are more equipped to handle life’s obstacles. Despite this, education is still viewed in our nation as a luxury rather than a necessity. Spreading educational awareness across the nation is necessary to make education more widely available. Without initially considering the value of education, however, this stays unfinished. People can only view something as necessary for a good existence after they understand the significance it has. People frequently conflate education and schooling while discussing the two topics. While hearing or seeing the word, many people envision locations like schools or colleges. They may also consider specific positions like tutor or teacher. The issue with this is that, despite efforts to aid in learning, the way many schools and teachers conduct themselves is not often what we would rightly refer to as education. The idea of embracing truth and possibility, encouraging and allowing time for exploration, is what we mean by education in this country.
 

 

How does poverty impact education?

Education along with food, shelter, and clothes has become a fundamental human need. However, the majority of poor families’ children do not receive an education because they are poverty stricken. As a result, the impact of poverty on education is a crucial essay topic for both academic and competitive exams. One of the main areas where family money has a big impact is educational outcomes. Compared to their counterparts who come from more privileged families, students from poor families enter school late. The majority of low-income households don’t understand the value of education and put their kids to daily chores instead of sending them to schools. Some of them make an effort to enroll their kids in school, but they are unable to pay for a good education. Because most of them seem to be illiterate, they are also unable to assist their kids with their education. Even though it is a basic human right, many children from underprivileged and deprived backgrounds nevertheless dream of going to school. Historically, many people and communities have been denied access to education. The government now offers free education to all children between the ages of 6 and 14 and promotes school attendance. This endeavor also results in a rise in enrollment, but everyone is aware of the government school’s high standard of instruction. Most students from low-income families who have taken advantage of these free educational opportunities have since stopped their studies since they are no longer able to pay their tuition and other related costs. Some people stop studying after finishing their 10th or 12th-grade exams because the costs of higher education are so high that low-income families cannot afford it. Admission to IIT and MBBS is already out of range also for middle-class people in India because of the expensive tuition and other costs. After food, shelter, and clothing, education is one of the most important requirements, however most pupils from low-income families are unable to attend school as a result of the family’s low income. It is also the most effective strategy for lowering unemployment and poverty. The government should prioritize education for the poor because it serves as a catalyst for societal growth on all fronts, that are, economic, social, cultural, and technological.
 

 

How can we reduce the ill effects?

Poverty can be lessened by providing cash transfers to low-income families whose eligibility is based on their children’s attendance at school. Such a scheme has been used successfully in Mexico, where it increased enrollment and the typical number of years spent in school.  Early nutrition education programmes help guarantee that kids are physically ready for school. Malnourished children are more likely to enter school later, learn less, and drop out of school. For instance, a relatively inexpensive deworming programme in Kenya increased students’ attendance in school by 7%. It is crucial to make sure that classrooms have the staff, materials, and facilities they require. An initiative in Colombia that aimed to raise the standard and importance of education drastically decreased dropout rates. Flexible class schedules can also cut down on the indirect expenditures associated with sending kids to school. Education has proven to be a potent weapon for reducing poverty in nations that have been capable of improving educational access and quality. 
 

 

Role of Government

The efforts adopted by the government to fight poverty in India are as follows:

  1. By fostering faster economic growth:

The government attempted to spread several strategies for fostering faster economic growth. They genuinely believed that the different growth strategies would enable the poor to rise beyond the poverty level. Although initiatives to speed up economic growth have been made, they have been unsuccessful because they have used capital-intensive technologies from Western nations. More than any other country, we are moving toward a labor-intensive path of economic development. As a result, financial and fiscal policies that offer incentives for utilizing labor-intensive procedures were adopted.

  1. By reducing poverty and promoting agriculture:

According to reports from the Montek Ahluwalia Commission (a former member of the Planning Commission), it was made very apparent that the growth of agriculture and poverty are mutually dependent and inversely related. As agricultural growth increases, the poverty rate decreases.

  1. By accelerating infrastructure development:

Construction of buildings, highways, roads, docks, telecommunications, power, and irrigation systems are all part of infrastructure development. It primarily includes construction work, which is another labor-intensive activity.

  1. By increasing the development of human resources:

In addition to infrastructural development, human resource development can also help to eliminate poverty. Better investments are needed for HRD in areas of educational infrastructures, such as schools to increase literacy and technical training centers and vocational colleges to provide skills to the populace.

  1. By hastening the expansion of non-farm employment:

Rural areas are particularly crucial for the eradication of poverty and the expansion of non-farm job prospects. In sales, advertising, logistics, handicrafts, dairy production, forestry, food manufacturing and other agricultural goods, repair shops, etc., this form of employment can be developed.

  1. By granting access to assets:

After independence, the population grew at a faster rate, which caused agricultural holdings to be more subdivided and fragmented. The working circumstances for agricultural laborers and small-scale independent farmers have gotten worse due to a lack of employment options in factories, industries, and non-agricultural sectors.

  1. By providing credit:

Providing easy access to credit for the underprivileged and poor helps improve living conditions. Small farmers have access to cutting-edge resources like superior seeds, high-quality fertilizers, etc. It is possible to speed up the construction of small irrigation channels like wells and tube wells.

  1. By an efficient PDS (public distribution system):

According to the surveys, households spend close to 80% of their income on food. As a result, the government should work on an assured supply of an acceptable quantity of food grains in order to raise rural earnings and ensure food security for poor households.

  1. By taking direct aim at poverty:

The government acknowledged in the early 1970s that it would take quite some time for economic expansion to create enough job possibilities for the unemployed in our nation.
 

 

The Solutions for reducing the impact of Poverty

  1. The authorities must take prompt, appropriate action to address the issue of poverty.
  2. Providing adequate amenities to the underprivileged is one method to address these issues, so that they can earn a living from their job and avoid moving to cities in search of work. 
  3. Additionally, illiterate persons need to receive the necessary training in order to improve their quality of life. 
  4. Family planning should be practiced to stop the population from growing. 
  5. Additionally, steps should be taken to eradicate corruption so that we can address the wealth disparity.

In summary, poverty is a national issue rather than a personal one. Additionally, it should be addressed immediately by putting in place appropriate countermeasures. Furthermore, the elimination of poverty is now essential for the inclusive and sustainable development of the population, society, nation, and economy.
 

 

Conclusion

Poverty and educational success have a subtle and complex relationship. Despite numerous initiatives to lessen the negative effects of low levels of education, it is now recognised that the treatments have not been as successful as had been anticipated. The body of research presently suggests that a number of activities must be designed and carried out as coherent, temporally complete interventions. It is a difficult task for policymakers to simultaneously recognise and address factors which function at the mini level of the individual, the mid level of peer groups, families, and neighborhoods, and the macro level of social structures, such as housing, health care, and educational opportunities. Since all students should be provided the same independence and opportunity to find a fulfilling career that will allow them to support themselves, the standard of education is crucial. The quality of education is just as essential as how many students are receiving it, despite the widespread belief that everyone should have access to it.
 

 
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