School education is held up as an ‘escape route from poverty’. Millions of poor children and families are buying into this promise and often investing scarce resources in going to school, in the hope that it will lead to a better life. This paper looks at children’s unequal trajectories from early childhood through to the time they leave school, examining how various factors are shaping their educational opportunities and achievement. It synthesises existing Young Lives analysis based on three rounds of research with two age cohorts in each of the four study countries (Ethiopia, Andhra Pradesh in India, Peru and Vietnam).
While the paper does not explore indicators of school quality, it looks at the large achievement gaps that exist between different groups of children, which need to be of central consideration in the development of strategies to improve education quality. In order for school education to start fulfilling its promise as a route out of poverty, there is a need for more equitable, better-quality schooling and training that can translate into realistic opportunities for young people. The paper explores seven key findings:
- Unequal school trajectories are set in motion during early childhood.
- While there is high primary school enrolment in all four of the study countries, there are still stark inequalities in children’s progression through school.
- Children’s learning outcomes are strongly shaped by household-level factors.
- Intersecting inequalities account for the largest achievement gaps.
- Inflexible schooling further excludes children who need to combine school with paid work and responsibilities at home.
- The growth of low-fee private education in Andhra Pradesh has clear equity implications in relation to location, gender and wealth.
- Educational aspirations remain persistently high across all groups but young people are not relying on education as a route to employment.
