How many students from really challenging backgrounds get into our elite institutions? In short, not many… but that’s nothing new. However, more often than not, these institutions will highlight their scholarship and bursary schemes, designed for the under privileged, as an answer to questions of inequality.
But, what is under privileged? Who is defining what is and what is not under privileged? I don’t think the governments perception of under privilege is necessarily the same as that of the under privileged themselves. Certainly, the majority of our Education Secretaries over the past three decades had a private education, so in the main they came from privilege.
Privilege is usually associated with extreme financial wealth and the range of opportunities exclusively available to privileged people. But privilege for some is what others would call the norm, the ‘nothing to write home about’. For some members of our community a stable upbringing, a loving and supportive family, friends, food on the table, schooling and a feeling of self-worth are privilege. Privilege is no longer just about mobile phones, money, cars, homes, holidays and clothes… it’s about opportunity or the lack of it. Too many of our children live in homes without this privilege. Some don’t call this privilege some call it basic needs, either way it impacts massively on their future opportunities.
How can a bright and capable student who comes from a background without these basic needs meet the entrance requirements for an elite institution when they are 18 years old? It’s hard enough to gain the entrance requirements for Cambridge, for example, when you come from a well-supported, loving family who are right behind you and provide you with every encouragement. What if your home life is not so ‘picture post card’ perfect? You can’t get a bursary or scholarship if you don’t get the grades. So again, the very people who truly need the support to reach the top… can’t get access to it.
To my mind, this says very clearly… if you want to get access to an elite institution in the UK then you need to come from a good home, if you don’t it’s not going to happen.
So, my question to government is, what are we doing for those young people who are bright and capable but don’t come from perfect homes? How can we help them over come being born into challenging circumstances and navigate our elitist culture?
I would urge you to contact your local MP, or as we approach a general election your prospective party candidates, and ask the question – what will you do for our young people, born into economic and social hardship, to ensure they have equal opportunity for success in a post Brexit Britain?
JD
The Equality Blog 