By Moses Bulamu
An analysis of Millennium Cohort Study data from the UK found that the cognitive skills of bright 5-year-olds from poor families keep pace with those of their wealthier peers until the end of primary school. Pheeeeeew!
After the transition to secondary school, however, high-achieving children from low-income families tend to experience a particularly sharp decline in attitudes toward school, behavior, mental health, and academic achievement. Another pheeew!
This decline occurs between the ages of 11 and 14. The paper was published in Research in Social Stratification and Mobility.
So, we are reading that socioeconomic status plays into young people’s mental health among other things. Are we? What is socioeconomic status anyway? Well, it is a combined measure of a person’s or family’s economic and social learning position, typically based on income, education, and occupation.
While it is not a single characteristic, it is consistently linked to many important life outcomes.
Socioeconomic status is strongly associated with children’s academic achievement and cognitive development. Children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds typically have access to more educational resources, enriching experiences, and stable home environments that support learning. (Very true!)
These advantages contribute to stronger early language development, memory, and executive functioning skills. Conversely, lower socioeconomic status is often linked to increased exposure to stress, less access to quality education, and fewer learning opportunities. Are you following?
The study adds, these disparities can lead to gaps in cognitive skills even before children enter school. Over time, such differences often widen, resulting in persistent achievement gaps in reading, math, and problem-solving. Socioeconomic status influences not only academic outcomes but also school engagement, motivation, and expectations.
Study authors John Jerrim and Maria Palma Carvajal set out to track the outcomes of high-achieving disadvantaged children starting at age 5, before they began formal schooling. They aimed to compare their achievements and cognitive skills with those of wealthier peers through to age 16. They also examined whether these bright 5-year-olds from low-income backgrounds became more disinterested or unmotivated at school than their wealthier peers, and compared their behavior, mental health, and experiences with bullying.
Okay, before you raise your hand, you need to know that this study happened in the UK. It didn’t happen in Uganda. Even though the study results might be flipped to reflect Uganda!
In Uganda, the situation is stark. With a national poverty rate of 16.1%, many families struggle to prioritize education over basic needs. The Uganda National Household Survey (UNHS) 2023/24 reveals that 7 million Ugandans live below the international poverty line of $1 per day.
Poverty has a profound impact on education, with limited access to quality education, high dropout rates, and teacher shortages being just a few of the challenges that disadvantaged students face. The effects of poverty on education in Uganda are multifaceted, and it’s essential to implement targeted interventions that support disadvantaged students and prioritize education to break the cycle of poverty.
Furthermore, mental health issues and poverty are significant negative drivers to education in Uganda. The stress of living in poverty can exacerbate mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, which can further hinder a child’s ability to learn and succeed in school. The lack of access to mental health resources and support services in Uganda compounds this issue, making it even more challenging for disadvantaged students to overcome the obstacles they face.
Addressing mental health and poverty is crucial to improving educational outcomes and breaking the cycle of poverty in Uganda.
In Uganda, mental health data reveals a concerning picture: approximately 32% of the population is affected by mental illness, with 30% having mental disorders. Common conditions include epilepsy (45.5% of cases), unipolar depressive disorder (affecting 96,277 individuals), and anxiety disorders (particularly those related to gender-based violence, with 14,097 cases).
Moreover, 17.6% of school-going children battle depressive disorders, and 44% of adolescents in climate-vulnerable regions experience anxiety. These statistics underscore the urgent need for mental health support and resources in Uganda.
In conclusion, the interplay between poverty, socioeconomic status, and education is complex and multifaceted. The evidence from both the UK study and the Ugandan context highlights the significant challenges faced by disadvantaged students. Poverty not only limits access to quality education but also exacerbates mental health issues, creating a cycle that is difficult to break.
Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach that includes targeted interventions, improved access to mental health resources, and policies that support disadvantaged students. By prioritizing education and addressing the root causes of poverty, we can work towards creating a more equitable society where all individuals have the opportunity to succeed.
Poverty, socioeconomic status, and education are intricately linked, and understanding these dynamics is crucial to developing effective solutions. #Poverty #SocioeconomicStatus #Education #MentalHealthMatters
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