Inequalities in the education system continue to persist

ISTANBUL

While the increasing trend of pursuing higher education registered in the last decade promises to continue, increasing access to education does not guarantee progress in academic equality or the quality in education, a report prepared by the Education Reform Initiative (ERI) has revealed.

The second report on the subject by the ERI shows that not much progress has been registered to alleviate inequalities in the education system in the five years after the first report was published in 2009.

While less so than in the past, socio-economic factors remain the main determinant on the level of access to academic success. The students who come from the higher socio-economic strata of society are a year and a half advanced than their peers in mathematics.

Meanwhile, drop outs also remain a serious problem according to ERI, which is supported by several institutions, including Sabancı University.  The system loses three out of 10 students after primary school.

The numbers are also disheartening when it comes to the handicapped. Only 7 percent of handicapped students are high school graduates, while graduation from primary school is at a mere 22 percent.