Poor education blamed for poverty gap

Foreign women often live below the poverty line through lack of a formal education. Caritas

One in ten Swiss lives near or below the poverty line and a lack of education is often to blame, says a study by the charity, Caritas.

The non-governmental organisation has called for targeted state aid to remedy the situation.

“Poverty is a scandal in a country as rich as Switzerland,” said Jürg Krummenacher, head of Caritas.

Recent statistics show that up to 850,000 people are affected by poverty, including 220,000 children.

The Caritas study, published on Monday, warns that families with small children and young apprentices are especially at risk.

The poverty line is set at net income of SFr2,200 ($1,714) a month for a single person in Switzerland and SFr4,300 for a family with two children.

Long-term influence

According to unemployment statistics, 86 per cent of men aged 30-64 who have undergone basic schooling are likely to have a job.

However, the figure rises to nearly 93 per cent for those with a high school certificate.

Caritas says people who only have minimal schooling face the threat of lifelong poverty.

“People with little or no qualifications are more likely to suffer from poverty,” explained Krummenacher.

Lack of education affects many different aspects of a person’s life, says the charity. It can reduce chances of promotion or increase the threat of redundancy.

It often determines the choice of spouse, while parents’ qualifications and social standing will influence their children’s schooling.

Failed reforms

Educational reforms in the 1960s and 1970s were supposed to give children from less privileged backgrounds a better chance in life. But, according to Carlo Knöpfel of Caritas, this goal has not been attained.

“There is still a link between someone’s social background and the probability of getting a higher education,” he added.

The study warns that there are also close ties between health and life expectancy and qualifications. People with minimal schooling are more likely to suffer from health problems and disability.

According to the charity, foreign women with little formal education are most likely to be affected by poverty. But young families with two or more children and single men are also at risk.

Political measures

Caritas has called for better access to education for all to alleviate poverty. It is demanding that political action be taken to ensure equal opportunities but admits that educational reforms alone will not solve the problem.

“We have to tackle the problem at an early age,” said Krummenacher. He added that there should be more pre-school institutions such as crèches, playgroups and kindergartens.

Caritas also believes that children with learning difficulties should be given more support at primary school level and that extra-curricular coaching should be increased.

It adds that this would be useful when teaching languages, especially for foreign students.

With youth unemployment double the national average, the charity also wants more grants for students and an increase in the number of apprenticeship places on offer.

swissinfo

Key facts

In Switzerland, a single person is considered to live under the poverty line if their net income after taxes is less than SFr2,200.
For a family with two children, this rises to SFr4,300.
According to Caritas, 850,000 Swiss residents, including 220,000 children live on or under the poverty line.

In brief

Around ten per cent of the Swiss population suffers from financial hardship for extended periods of time.

A higher number of people suffer for shorter periods, mainly due to unemployment, divorces or illness.

According to Caritas, people with less formal education are more likely to suffer from poverty.

Single women with children and little formal education, especially foreigners, are most likely to live under the poverty line, but families with two or more children and single men are also affected.