Tutorial 4: Poverty & Inequality

Please refer to this link to get the article:

https://www.thesundaily.my/opinion/inequality-of-education-and-opportunity-FM4583869

Based on the news article given, answer the questions below:

1- Discuss some of the important points (take-home message) by the author.

2- Do you agree/ disagree with his opinion and state the reason for your answer.

ARTICLE: THE government has made tremendous 巨大 efforts through the New Economic
Policy and the National Plan to close the income inequality gap among Malaysians, but orang asli
poverty is still higher than other ethnic groups. According to a study in 2019, the absolute poverty
rate of indigenous 土著 people is 7.2%, higher than the Chinese (1.4%) and Indians (4.8%).
Such news has not only draw people’s attention to the racial 种族 income gap but also bring
about great challenges to achieve the national aspirations of high-income nation and economic
equality.
Having said that, such aspirations of becoming an equal and ideal society is not only Malaysians’
dream but a mutual 共同 dream pursued by all nations. Raj Chetty, a professor of public
economics at Harvard University, pointed out that the “American Dream” is at stake 赌注
because of unequal opportunities among states. Studies have shown that different states in the
United States have different overall environment such as education and work opportunities. Thus,
the growing inequality among different states makes Americans spin 旋转 the wheel away from
their “American dream”.
I believe that financial assistance and economic stimulus 刺激 packages are not the solution for
the income inequality among different ethnic groups, but creating a more equal urban-rural
environment and an inclusive education system will help the underprivileged 贫困 groups
achieve “upward mobility”.
Data from the Ministry of Education shows that in 2011 alone, 20,000 students dropped out of
secondary school even before completing their SPM exams, and the students who dropped out
were mostly came from the B40 low income group. In addition, a report by the Orang Asli
Development Department shows that the dropout rate of indigenous people is alarming. A 2014
data showed that 42.12% of indigenous students dropped out of school at Form One. The main
causes of dropout among indigenous people are poverty, parents who were neglectful, learning
difficulties and underage 未成年 marriage.
In view of this, the vicious circle （恶性循环） caused by lack of education, such as losing out
on job opportunities, committing crime due to poverty or underage marriage, will make it
difficult for the vulnerable 易受伤 class to be upwardly mobile.
The Covid-19 pandemic has completely changed the global education and workplace
environment. This will exacerbate 使…恶化 an already unequal environment and will directly
lead to an increase in school dropout rate, unemployment rate and crime rate. The Covid-19
pandemic will make the poor poorer, and results in higher dropout rate among disadvantaged
children. The example of Veveonah Mosibin, a Sabah girl who climbed to a tree to get internet
connection to take her exams shows the inequality of educational opportunities between regions
and classes in our country.
In today’s globalised, extremely competitive and rapidly changing environment, competitiveness
and productivity comes from high-quality and well-rounded education. Finland’s success is
derived from its inclusive education system, which provides equal opportunities for all citizens
across regions and social classes to receive the best education.
Therefore, the fundamental problem of income inequality is the inequality of education. Causes
of educational inequality include poor infrastructure and quality of teachers in rural and remote
schools, lack of opportunity for students with weak academic performance, and lack of
educational opportunities for children from poor families.
I truly believe inequality in education is the root cause of inequality of opportunity. Inequality of
opportunity is the biggest obstacle 阻碍物 to upward mobility. Instead of paying attention to
economic policies, why not focus on the root of the problem – education – and do something
about it?

1- Discuss some of the important points (take-home message) by the author.

Suggested Ans (ME)

- Absolute poverty rate of indigenous 土著 people is 7.2%, higher than the Chinese (1.4%) and
Indians (4.8%).

- financial assistance and economic stimulus 刺激 packages (creating a more equal urban-rural
environment) (STABILIZE ECONOMIC GROWTH ONLY) (CANNOT SOLVE THE
PROBLEM OF LACKING EDUCATION!!!)

- an inclusive education system will help the underprivileged 贫困 groups achieve “upward
mobility”.
- who (STUDENT) dropped out were mostly came from the B40 low income group
- The main causes of dropout among indigenous people are poverty, parents who were neglectful,
learning difficulties and underage 未成年 marriage.

- the vicious circle （恶性循环） caused by lack of education, such as losing out on job
opportunities, committing crime due to poverty or underage marriage, will make it difficult for
the vulnerable 易受伤 class to be upwardly mobile.
- (EXP) The Covid-19 pandemic has completely changed the global education and workplace
environment. This will exacerbate 使…恶化 an already unequal environment and will directly
lead to an increase in school dropout rate, unemployment rate and crime rate.
-the fundamental problem of income inequality is the inequality of education.
- Causes of educational inequality include poor infrastructure and quality of teachers in rural and
remote schools, lack of opportunity for students with weak academic performance, and lack of
educational opportunities for children from poor families.

2- Do you agree/ disagree with his opinion and state the reason for your answer

Suggested ans:

--the fundamental problem of income inequality is the inequality of education.

Those people who are lacking education will get lower salary than people who are graduate from
degree or diploma.

-Qualification of education is higher, the salary we will receive will be higher.

- Those people who cannot get the best education due to their living environment (B40)

-家庭环境很重要

-家里人没收入，孩子读不到书，早出来做工，没文凭，薪水低，cover 不到 living expenses

-- financial assistance and economic stimulus 刺激 packages (creating a more equal urban-rural
environment) (STABILIZE ECONOMIC GROWTH ONLY) (CANNOT SOLVE THE
PROBLEM OF LACKING EDUCATION!!!)
恶性循环 （政府也不能看到到底有谁才是真正需要帮忙的）（经常被忽略）就算有 PACKAGE
也只能帮他们度过那段时间的苦难 之后还是继续 BPN/BPR (a moment)

-EXP- who (STUDENT) dropped out were mostly came from the B40 low income group

-- The main causes of dropout among indigenous people are poverty, parents who were
neglectful, learning difficulties and underage 未成年 marriage.
- unequal environment and will directly lead to an increase in school dropout rate, unemployment
rate and crime rate