2. Poverty 

Poverty is one of the key factors of education inequality. On top of the disadvantages of the rural urban disparity, students in rural communities tend to come from a lower socioeconomic class as  compared to their urban counterparts. As a result, more students from rural areas tend to drop out  of school or do not pursue higher education in order to work to support their families. These issues  are also prevalent among the urban poor, where life's struggles mean that they simply can’t afford  to prioritise education.

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For poorer families, the environment at home can be non-conducive for learning which can further  hamper their performance with the move towards e-learning. According to the Organisation for  Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) survey, up to 48 per cent of students in the  country do not have access to computers at home for educational purposes. Even if students are  able to attend school, affordability remains a pertinent issue as those in poverty struggle with being  able to afford lunch, let alone afford extra tuition, reference books, broadbands and e-learning  devices to keep up with their peers.  

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3. Race-based policies 

Many students across Malaysia face unequal access to opportunities on a racial basis. In the past,  race-based affirmative action, specifically for the Bumiputera, was deemed essential in order to  alleviate their socioeconomic status as Malaysia’s least wealthy racial group. Throughout the  years, more often than not these policies only seem to be giving an unfair advantage to well-to-do  Malay Bumiputera, while those who the policies are meant to help i.e. B40 communities, find  themselves increasingly dismissed. With quotas, students are often denied entry into good  boarding schools, as well as public universities due to their race. Those who cannot afford private  universities are then left with very limited options and opportunities when pursuing tertiary  education.  

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So, why care about education equality and what can we do about it? 

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Education has the power to spur socioeconomic mobility and break the vicious poverty cycle. An  increase in education attainment of the population will also encourage economic growth and  development of the country, enabling us to allocate more funding for vital sectors, including  education itself. As youths, we can contribute through the many established organisations that  have been working hard to bridge the education gap, such as Charisma Movement, by  volunteering or donating. Inform yourself and spread awareness of the many forms of education inequality so more people will call for change. It’s time to move away from our prejudices, reform  our policies, and help all Anak Malaysia exercise their right to education.