Inequalities in Demand and Access to Early Childhood Education in India

Ghosh, Saikat

doi:10.1007/s13158-019-00241-8

Cited by 18 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Studying mothers' positional characteristics (education levels and income) has helped improve our understanding behind their decision-making about staying in the labour market, which has been seen in previous research ((Del Boca & Vuri, 2007;Ghosh, 2019;Mamolo et al, 2011). Our research shows that these decisions are not just affected by these positional conditions but also by the interaction between these positional characteristics, labour conditions and the supply-side structure in childcare provision.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…(Cebolla-Boado et al, 2014;EEF, 2018;Hansen & Hawkes, 2009, Heckman et al, 2012Schutz et al 2008;Shutz, 2009, Yoshikawa et al, 2013. This is especially important in the case of children from more disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, since attending preschool education can compensate for initial educational inequalities (Bassok, 2010;Esping-Andersen et al, 2002;Felfe & Lalive, 2012;Ghosh, 2019;McCartney et al, 2007;Tedesco, 2006). At the other end, ECEC is especially valued by middle-class families as a tool to guarantee a progressive transition from the home into compulsory education (Alam, 2020).…”

Section: Early Years Education As a Key Educational Stagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Third, the research has also identified the existence of a nursery close to the home as an element that favours early years education (Baizán & González, 2007;Borra, 2010;Borra & Palma, 2009;McLean et al, 2017;Suárez, 2013,). Fourth, the educational level of mothers has an observable impact, with families with higher levels of education being more willing to choose formal services (Del Boca & Vuri, 2007;Ghosh, 2019;Mamolo et al, 2011).…”

Section: Decision-making Processes Within the Familymentioning

confidence: 99%

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State Nurseries are Not for Us: The Limitations of Early Childhood Policies Beyond Price Barriers in Barcelona

Motos

Saula

2022

IJEC

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Access to early child education services has been proven to be an efficient tool in fighting educational inequalities. However, while wealthier families are likely to use childcare services, disadvantaged children tend to be left out. Research has explained this effect, known as Mathew Effect, and has studied both the constraints in the availability and affordability of childcare services, and the cultural norms surrounding motherhood. This paper aims to highlight other factors that also explain the Mathew Effect from a public policy perspective, beyond the economic barriers that limit access to formal childcare services. Through 34 interviews with mothers who have children between one and three years of age who attend both state and private nurseries in the city of Barcelona, we examine the characteristics of regulated childcare services and the objective factors of those mothers’ everyday lives in order to understand the decision-making processes involved in choosing childcare for the under-threes. The results indicate that sliding-scale pricing has allowed mothers with low incomes to access state nursery schools, while the quality of the services offered has served to attract the middle and upper classes. However, early childhood care services have not been adapted to the needs of working-class mothers who, although not being in a situation of social vulnerability, cannot afford private nurseries because of their high costs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Early Years Education As a Key Educational Stagementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Decision-making Processes Within the Familymentioning

confidence: 99%

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State Nurseries are Not for Us: The Limitations of Early Childhood Policies Beyond Price Barriers in Barcelona

Motos

Saula

2022

IJEC

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“…Moreover, the differential preschool decision can also be attributed to the availability of such services and the quality of it. A recent study from India shows that the distance of the preschool from the residence of children was negatively associated with their preschool attendance and higher the distance lower the probability of attending preschool (Ghosh 2019b). The quality of services provided in the schools may also affect their decision as low-quality services such as lower number of teachers, limited availability of teaching materials, etc., may make a preschool provision less attractive (Jacoby 1994).…”

Section: Determinants Of Preschool Choice: a Conceptual Framework Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public or private? Determinants of parents’ preschool choice in India

Ghosh

2020

ICEP

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Universal early childhood education (ECE) in India is a relatively recent phenomenon which started during the 1990s (Pattnaik 1996). In the past, children were mostly being cared for within the extended family, not only by parents but also by other members of the family. With industrialization, urbanization and drastic changes within the family structure, the demand for preschools and child care centres are growing rapidly. Nowadays, preschool in India would mainly refer to two components: (i) early education and school readiness, and (ii) child care. Therefore, the choice of types of preschool depends on what parents are looking for and what is available. There is a strong sense among parents that preschool education can help children to overcome initial difficulties they face in coping with formal learning environments during the early school years (Rana et al. 2008; Pattnaik 1996). As found out by Rana et al. (2008), many parents believe that the preschool activities, singing, dancing, recognizing colours, etc., would help their children following the lessons to be given in the primary schools in the imminent future. Alternatively, parents may also send their children to preschool for logistic reasons such as free meals and other benefits, as well as considering it as a child care centre that enabling

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“…For example, India is currently homing about 164 million children in the age group zero to six years but the gross enrollment ratio at the pre-primary level in India is about 12.92%, which is one of the lowest among South Asian countries (UNESCO Institute for Statistics [UIS], 2018). Despite the availability of different ECEC provisions across the country, there is still a substantial number of children not enrolled in any preschools in India (UNICEF, 2019; Ghosh, 2019). The number of children receiving preschool education has been falling over the years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parents’ attitudes and unequal opportunities in early childhood development: Evidence from Eastern India

Ghosh

Steinberg

2022

Journal of Early Childhood Research

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Early childhood development is considered a crucial component for sustainable development, and parents’ roles in this regard is unambiguously acknowledged. However, the evidence is sparsely available from developing countries like India on how parents can influence access to the early childhood development program. This study, based on an empirical footing, investigates whether parental attitude may lead to unequal opportunities in children’s access to preschools in India. The study portrays that the negative or indifferent attitude of parents predicts significantly lower access to preschools. Also, parents’ education can be held responsible for the variation in parents’ attitudes toward early education and care. A two-prong policy measure is thus suggested by educating parents on one hand and involving them in the implementation process of childhood development programs on the other.

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Inequalities in Demand and Access to Early Childhood Education in India

Cited by 18 publications

References 23 publications

State Nurseries are Not for Us: The Limitations of Early Childhood Policies Beyond Price Barriers in Barcelona

State Nurseries are Not for Us: The Limitations of Early Childhood Policies Beyond Price Barriers in Barcelona

Public or private? Determinants of parents’ preschool choice in India

Parents’ attitudes and unequal opportunities in early childhood development: Evidence from Eastern India

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