The Impacts Of Poverty In New Zealand's Impact On Education

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The impacts of poverty in New Zealand on education
As many as 25% of New Zealand children are currently living in poverty. Children who are raised in poverty are more likely to leave school with little or no academic attainment in comparison to their wealthier peers (Michael & Dwyer, 2008). The objective of this essay is to examine the effects of poverty in New Zealand on education. Firstly, this essay will explore discuss the current situation of child poverty in New Zealand. Then I will discuss the effects poverty has on childhood learning and academic attainment. Finally, I will examine the long-term impacts of a poverty-affected education on the individual and society.

New Zealand has no agreed definition of poverty or official poverty …show more content…

2). A recent report for the Ministry of Social Development by Perry (2004) describes poverty as “exclusion from the minimum acceptable way of life in one’s own society because of inadequate resources” (p. 4). Children living in poverty experience hardship or exclusion from normal patterns of modern life for extended periods (Children 's Comissioner, 2012). Prominent causes of poverty are found within the home of New Zealand households that have low household incomes, lower educational attainment as well as social and health issues. Lack of a sustainable income leads to health and nutrition probles, housing and overcrowding, lower involvement of early childhood provision and fewer literature practices within the home. Such effects inhibit school readiness and educational development of children …show more content…

The future impacts of poverty result in reduced lifetime earnings, poorer health outcomes and limited future opportunities. The impacts on society as a result of a poorly educated population include increased health care costs, lower productivity growth and increased the rate of criminal offending (Boston, 2013). Michael & Dwyer (2008) claim that in the economy of the future there will be even fewer employment opportunities for people with limited education. Such a claim places further hardship on those suffering from poverty, especially when research indicates that those effected by poverty show an increased likelihood of leaving school with little or no academic attainment (Michael & Dwyer, 2008). Research from additional studies show that large proportions of children born into disadvantaged families do not enjoy high levels of educational success (Boston, 2013). Children suffering from the effects of poverty also have a lower prospect of achieving higher academic aspirations due to a strong belief that university studies is for those belonging to middle class families (Thrupp, 2006). Michael & Dwyer’s (2008) report concludes that the completion of education is clearly the best protector against long-term poverty. However, educational economist Helen Ladd (2012) suggests that

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