Investigating social class and its effect on parental perception and involvement in children’s education

Abstract

Social class is a topic that is often avoided in Singapore. In Singapore, the decisions making process that parents must go through in their children’s educational pathway are similar, yet the strategies and access to opportunities are shaped by social class and cultural capital. However, the Singapore education system that observes meritocracy does not take into account the interventions from parents who are able to afford time and finances to ‘buy’ an advantage for their children. Using qualitative interviews, this research seeks to examine the effects of social class on parental perception and involvement in their children’s education. Findings suggests that social class and cultural capital plays a critical role in shaping the perception of and involvement in their children’s education, allowing parents from a higher class background to have the capability to make informed choice on their children’s education.