Page 375 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 375
why is esl a problem for contemporary (eu) society?
Private and social far-reaching consequences of ESL
In this section, we further describe the private and social consequences of
ESL as defined in the introduction. Thus, the private and social far-reach-
ing consequences of ESL we present in this section are: higher incidence
and duration of unemployment, lower initial and lifetime earnings, inferi-
or health status and public health assistance access, less risk aversion and
increased criminality, reduced lifelong-learning participation, lower quali-
ty of social capital (lower positive spill-over effects of co-workers) and low-
er lifetime satisfaction (negative intergenerational effects).
Higher incidence and duration of unemployment
Various sources (e.g. Garfinkel, Kelly, & Waldfogel, 2005; Gyönös, 2011;
Lamb, 1994; USA Department of Labor, 2004) state that ESLers are 72%
more likely to be unemployed than high-school graduates. ESLers are thus
also likely to receive public assistance. Gyönös (2011) found that a low qual-
ification level and the possibility of becoming unemployed increase in di-
rect proportion. With constant changes in the skills required in the labour
market, ESLers are also becoming a less employed population as the years
pass (EENEE, 2013).1 As noted in the following descriptions of consequenc-
es, unemployment amongst ESLers brings an important impact to different
areas of an individual’s well-being.
Lower initial and lifetime earnings
An EENEE estimate (2013) puts the additional lifetime income of a stu-
dent who stays at school for one extra year at more than €70,000. Further,
Oreopoulos (2007) states that lifetime wealth increases by about 15% for
an extra year of schooling. Therefore, parallel to the increased risk of
ESLers being uneducated and unemployed, both their initial and lifetime
earnings drop. It is also important to note that ESLers tend to be myop-
ic since they do not possess the skills required for planning and manag-
ing their finances (Gyönös, 2011). This is an additional reason they usual-
ly possess low lifetime earnings in their adult life and thus a lower quality
of life in general.
1 The prevailing understanding in modern society that ESL is a major cause of high
unemployment is challenged by some authors (e.g. Ross & Leathwood, 2013; De
Witte et al., 2013; Huart, 2013) who argue that keeping students in school will not re-
solve the problem of (youth) unemployment.
375
Private and social far-reaching consequences of ESL
In this section, we further describe the private and social consequences of
ESL as defined in the introduction. Thus, the private and social far-reach-
ing consequences of ESL we present in this section are: higher incidence
and duration of unemployment, lower initial and lifetime earnings, inferi-
or health status and public health assistance access, less risk aversion and
increased criminality, reduced lifelong-learning participation, lower quali-
ty of social capital (lower positive spill-over effects of co-workers) and low-
er lifetime satisfaction (negative intergenerational effects).
Higher incidence and duration of unemployment
Various sources (e.g. Garfinkel, Kelly, & Waldfogel, 2005; Gyönös, 2011;
Lamb, 1994; USA Department of Labor, 2004) state that ESLers are 72%
more likely to be unemployed than high-school graduates. ESLers are thus
also likely to receive public assistance. Gyönös (2011) found that a low qual-
ification level and the possibility of becoming unemployed increase in di-
rect proportion. With constant changes in the skills required in the labour
market, ESLers are also becoming a less employed population as the years
pass (EENEE, 2013).1 As noted in the following descriptions of consequenc-
es, unemployment amongst ESLers brings an important impact to different
areas of an individual’s well-being.
Lower initial and lifetime earnings
An EENEE estimate (2013) puts the additional lifetime income of a stu-
dent who stays at school for one extra year at more than €70,000. Further,
Oreopoulos (2007) states that lifetime wealth increases by about 15% for
an extra year of schooling. Therefore, parallel to the increased risk of
ESLers being uneducated and unemployed, both their initial and lifetime
earnings drop. It is also important to note that ESLers tend to be myop-
ic since they do not possess the skills required for planning and manag-
ing their finances (Gyönös, 2011). This is an additional reason they usual-
ly possess low lifetime earnings in their adult life and thus a lower quality
of life in general.
1 The prevailing understanding in modern society that ESL is a major cause of high
unemployment is challenged by some authors (e.g. Ross & Leathwood, 2013; De
Witte et al., 2013; Huart, 2013) who argue that keeping students in school will not re-
solve the problem of (youth) unemployment.
375
