An Inter-Generational Effect of Socio-Economic Status on Education Attainment in South Africa

  • Thendo M. Ratshivhanda Department of Economics, University of the Free State (UFS), Bloemfontein
  • Sevias Guvuriro Department of Economics, University of the Free State (UFS), Bloemfontein
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22610/jebs.v10i4(J).2425
Keywords: Academic attainment; inter-generational effect; socio-economic status; South Africa; well-being

Abstract

Higher socio-economic status (SES) empowers an individual to have more access to a variety of materials relevant to achievements in life than would otherwise be possible. In theory, a child’s educational attainment can be influenced by hereditary and ecological variables; parents’ achievements are prompting children to achieve, or a deliberate investment that parents undertake in their children’s welfare, all suggestive of inter-generational effect in the process. A parent’s SES may therefore play a significant role in the child’s achievements. This paper attempts to determine the relationship between a parent’s SES and a child’s educational attainment and uses South African data collected at the national level. Employing descriptive statistics and OLS regressions, an inter-generational effect of parental SES positively influencing a child’s educational attainment is established. The finding supports policies promoting education as a fundamental poverty and inequality fighting mechanism in South Africa. 

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References

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Published
2018-09-14
How to Cite
Ratshivhanda, T. M., & Guvuriro, S. (2018). An Inter-Generational Effect of Socio-Economic Status on Education Attainment in South Africa. Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, 10(4(J), 252-261. https://doi.org/10.22610/jebs.v10i4(J).2425
Issue
Vol 10 No 4(J) (2018)
Section
Research Paper

Copyright (c) 2018 Thendo M. Ratshivhanda, Sevias Guvuriro

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