Do we actually want equality? | Karim Amghar | TEDxVUAmsterdam

22 Jun 2024 (6 months ago)

Karim's Personal Experiences

Karim, a Dutch citizen born to Moroccan immigrants, reflects on his experiences with inequality in education.
Despite feeling equal to his friends, Karim sensed a difference in equality from a young age.
At 12, he took an educational test that significantly impacted his career prospects.
His teacher advised him to lower his aspirations, citing his parents' lack of involvement in his education.
Karim struggled with depression and low self-esteem during his teenage years.
He questioned the meaning of life and felt like an outsider in Dutch society.
Despite these challenges, Karim persevered and eventually spoke to the Queen of the Netherlands about educational inequality.

Karim emphasizes the importance of addressing inequality of opportunities in education, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The concept of inequality of opportunities in education is explored, including absolute poverty and relative poverty.
The Dutch education system is structured to favor those involved in society, creating challenges for children from impoverished backgrounds.
Karim highlights the need for teachers and educators to address the broken system and ensure equal opportunities for all children.

The Dutch education system is facing significant challenges, including increasing stress among children and a widening achievement gap.
Socioeconomic status has a significant impact on educational opportunities, with children from lower-income households more likely to be recommended for vocational tracks and less likely to receive higher education recommendations.
Stress negatively affects learning efficiency, while relaxation in schools has a positive impact.
The Dutch education system has seven different educational levels, which is unique in the world and can contribute to educational segregation.
Shadow education is on the rise, exacerbating inequalities in education.

The author shares a personal story of overcoming low expectations and achieving success through the support of one brother who had high expectations of him.

The author emphasizes the importance of investing in education and teachers as a means of achieving equality of opportunities in education.