Rising Food Prices force many poor children to quit school
By mpsinfo on February 15, 2009 - 9:33pm
In economics, inflation or price inflation refers to a general rise in the level of prices of goods and services over a period of time. The term “inflation” originally referred to increases in the money supply (monetary inflation); however, debates regarding cause and effect have led to its primary use today in describing price inflation. Inflation can also be described as a decline in the real value of money—a loss of purchasing power. When the general level of prices rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Price inflation is usually measured by calculating the inflation rate, which is the percentage change in a price index, such as the consumer price index.
Because of inflation many poor children are forced to quit school. Before the inflation, they could earn barely enough for a living and could hardly afford to enable their children to go to school. Soaring prices triggered a lot of discussion and concerns among public, policy circles and development partners. Based on the study given by CDRI—the Cambodia’s Leading Independent Policy Development Research Institute—food expenditure/consumption accounts for about 70% of the total household expenditure for the 40% population, who are relatively poor or absolutely very poor according to the CSES 2004 . “Cereals” contributed 70% of total calorie intake by rural residents, but accounted for only 35% share of the household total food expenditure as they were relatively cheap. The current picture would be much different since the prices of cereals have risen at the highest rate. The other remarkable food items are fish, meat, poultry and vegetables.
The recent survey from CDRI shows that poor food households had the highest school dropout rate of children. It is reported that in January 2008, only about 7% of the children of the questioned households quitted school but it had increased noticeably. In June 2008, the percentage of children who dropped out of school was around 14% which is doubled. Previously, household could hardly manage to survive and send their children to school. But the earning they made was not enough does not fit the current double price rising, which forces them to work twice as much. The shape increase of food prices forces them to increase labor force. Because they are lack of labor force, they have to no doubt force their children to quit school. Another thing to be mentioned is the dept. They will have to borrow money from others before their harvesting. Then after their harvesting, they will have to sell most of the rice they gathered even for a lowest price to pay the dept. When all the rice is sold and used, they will have to work for others to earn a living and that is the time assistance from their children is needed; particularly, for those who have less or no land will absolutely force their children to quit school to be part of their labor.
If loan providers could give them with less interest or without interest, their situation would be recovered. After their harvesting, they may have to wait until their rice can be sold for a higher price because they don’t need to worry about paying the increasing interest for their dept. To ease all above mentioned, government as well as donors should think about providing them with loan of small or without interest so that they will gain more benefit from their rice production. Then they will have enough money to support their family and enable their children to go to school again.
By MPS
That is so sad that the economy is driving children to guit school. Education is only thing that can take you away from those poor conditions and you could provide a good life to you and your family.
It is pretty unthinkable to most of us, but i guess it is a reality for several impoverished nations. The question is, what can be done about it? There is currently a world-wide shortage of food, and things are likely to get worse, not better.
The middle classes in poor countries are giving up health care and cutting out meat so they can eat three meals a day. The middling poor, those on $2 a day, are pulling children from school and cutting back on vegetables so they can still afford rice. Those on $1 a day are cutting back on meat, vegetables and one or two meals, so they can afford one bowl. The desperate—those on 50 cents a day—face disaster.
~Matt, Makarska, Croatia
The education and the culture can fix all of this, but like always the economical interest are before the humanity.
If this continues i think the only hope is that government should step in and provide free meal at least once a day to these poor children because children are the future of a country....
yeah you are right this can be a possible solution....lets see what happens.
Yeah, agreed - Government should come forward. But at the same time i also believe that NGOs can play their role in empowering society. Volunteers should come forward and teach children. Childhood is very important phase of life and so children should be given right education.
Definately, they are the future of the country.
It is not the economy itself that forces the poor people to starve. We make the economy, all of us and of course mostly our governments, which manage the money flows and how these are being spend. Cambodia is not the only example, there are so many countries with pretty decent economical results and good earnings from export of particular products typical for their geo-location, while at the same time most of their citizens are living in misery, just because their governments don't give a s**t about them. That includes so many countries with unique resources or such that are rich of oil.
Volunteers could help temporarily, but it is the people themselves who should force their government to cover the education expenses...it is the government obligation to educate its kids as well as to keep them feeded. If there are always volunteers, the government wont really care in my opinion, they must solve the problem themselves!
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What a sad situation to be in, surely something can be done. Some of those figures really don't look good. What is this world coming to!
Some of those figures really don't look good. What is this world coming to!
A very good topic for this type of website.
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If you go and watch the poverty dot com website, you will be able to see how many people are daily on a second basis on account of hunger. People who are rich should donate and feed the poor because all are not fortunate in this world
Thanks
Education is always the way for getting out of poverty but only when you have full belly will you go to school!! If there was some system where good was given in schools to children from poor household, then may be they won't drop out and have something to eat as well.
This was a very thought provoking article. The country has seen really bad days and now it needs help more than ever to make sure that its future generation should get all chances to food and education. All individuals should donate according to their capacity. It may not solve the problem but provide food for some of the poor people in the world.
There are lot of people talking about the problem. I think it is probably very less people have a chance to work on those problem. If we talk on the problem then the problems turns there ugly faces. so before that we need to spend some free time to resolve issues like mentioned above.
Inflation has a very bad face of the economy this makes lot of people suffer. when you see the middle and poor people it is quite difficult to manage. this is the main reason to get the children out of the school. We need to find a centralized answer for this kind of issue.
That is so sad that the economy is driving children to guit school. - school do not give knowledge to survive in this workd
Everybody by their very nature should have the right to food and education!
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I think schooling definitely needs to start teaching children about the real world. I mean a full balanced education. Book smarts can only get you so far.
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My niece is now teaching kids over in Korea and has seen similar things happening there. So her job is to teach kids in these types of communities to be able to provide an education to kids that are in the fields, they are able to keep farming but also pursue an education.
I think this is a result of the poor economic situetion
Yes its a fact that many poor children's have to quit their studies and do some work to get food. We had to take some time and think on it.
This seems to be a growing problem :(
The food prices are increasing and the statistics is applicable to all over the world. The government should provide food for the children in the schools. For which the parents will send the children to schools. The same scheme is successfully running in India.
Education plays a big part of someone's self improvement and success..
Rapidly rising food prices threaten this dynamic. If food prices rise rapidly, then it suddenly matters a lot that incomes have not risen along with life expectancies, because all these urban poor don’t have any income cushion with which to absorb the price increases.
It is scary to think that kids are just not going to school... what is next? amazing...
Lower people at school is better... we need to reduce the number of clever people... There is no need every second to be a professor!!...
The kids need to be kids, I understand working in the fields, but they also need to go to school to learn.
Surely the government could offer some sort of free mealing system. This is just such a ridiculous state of affairs, there's plenty of food for everyone but unfortunately not plenty of common sense enough for everyone.
This is really sad...those little people shouldn't have to have the burden of helping their parents provide. And education is necessary to break the cycle. I agree that some sort of loan program should be implemented, with no or little interest.
Due to inflation many poor children are forced to quit school. before the inflation, they could earn barely enough for a living and could hardly afford to enable their children to go to school.
The middle classes in poor countries are giving up health care and cutting out meat so they can eat three meals a day. The middling poor, those on $2 a day, are pulling children from school and cutting back on vegetables so they can still afford rice. Those on $1 a day are cutting back on meat, vegetables and one or two meals, so they can afford one bowl. The desperate—those on 50 cents a day—face disaster.
beed beeeed its realy bad news!peoplw should help poor children not to harm them!
All people need education.
This is becoming a natural trend. I have seen many cases where older siblings are forced to quit school and work in order for their younger sisters and brothers can have the opportunity to be in school. I think the gov should step in and look into this matter seriously as education is important and a must for everyone. Anyone deserves to get their edu rights.
Well, the current facts is most people in the middle level will getting poor and poor, the bottom level is remaining the same but the upper level is getting rich and richer as they control the business - which make more profits for them when the food price is going up. It's time to do something to avoid this happen.
India has long implemented food for education program. If poor family member send their kids to school, kids gets free food. This seems to be working most of the times.