Reality and ideology

The debate about the democratisation of education has dwindled over the past 20 years, giving way to an increased emphasis on efficiency and output. As a result, the vision of the education system presented has become more narrowly focused on preparation for the labour market, in the hope that more efficient education will solve the problem of youth unemployment and improve national competitiveness.

Very recently, the issue of democratisation has been rediscovered, partly thanks to the surprising results of transnational research. While the general level of education has increased, it has been demonstrated that in most countries inequality in education is passed on unrelentingly from generation to generation (Shavit and Blossfeld, 1993; Erikson and Jonsson, 1996; OECD, 1997b). The attention devoted to social exclusion brings this inequality sharply into focus, although the empirical evidence in this respect is scarce and fragmented. The poorest children often fail, and large numbers of them end up in special education or in ‘second-rate streams’ of secondary education. Halfway through their school careers, they still score extremely poorly in terms of literacy and numeracy. They leave school – if not before the end of compulsory education, then without qualifications – with a damaged self-image, and disillusioned about what society has to offer them. The vicious circle of exclusion is thus perpetuated, because uneducated young people become the first victims of unemployment and poverty, more frequently have to deal with illness, are more likely to become delinquent and, in this age of ‘lifelong learning’, benefit much less from every form of adult education.

The education system thus filters, segregates and reproduces social inequality. This reality is in stark contrast to the expectations of a democratic education system – the dream of equal opportunities and unhindered social mobility.