Last modified: 2024-07-22
Abstract
This research aims to demonstrate that education, including educational institutions, which are expected to improve the quality of human resources (HR) and expand opportunities for enhancing welfare, on the contrary actually increases the socio-economic gap in society. Most prestigious educational institutions have high tuition fees, while those with affordable fees often offer lower quality education. Additionally, the upper middle-class economic groups tend to have lower fertility rates compared to the lower middle class. This trend results in a declining number of economically capable individuals who have broader access to high-quality education. Conversely, the economically disadvantaged face increasing challenges in accessing quality education.
This study uses a qualitative method. The author collected data from mass media, articles, survey institutions, and various educational literature. Based on those data, the author conducted analysis and interviews with sources who were directly involved in the education field.
The findings indicate a gap in educational quality. If this continues, it could lead us into: increasingly extreme disparities in human resources quality, reduce adaptability across classes because schools are fragmented by socio-economic class, and ultimately widen the socio-economic gap in society.