why is school less important in low-income countries opposed to high-income countries?

Answer 1

Low income coutries typically have very menial type jobs. They don't have tremendous intellectual type jobs.

Answer 2

It is not that school is less important in low income countries. I would say that schooling is as important in low income countries as it is in high income countries. The issue is that in low income countries governments pay less attention to education because most of the time they have higher priorities. For ex: Healthcare, Food, Housing,etc. Besides that, some governments in low income countries restric access to public education because that helps them and the people in power to stay in power. If they educate the masses their authority can be challenged and they do not want that. Ignorance is the source of their power and control.

Answer 3

I don't know that it is less important to those "low-income" (the correct terminology is "developing nations") countries. They are so busy trying to just exist and survive they don't can't put the efforts, nor do they have the resources for educational purposes. Most don't live in a democracy that requires all children the right to an education.

Answer 4

I can't say for sure, but I would think it would be considered a luxury. If you're old enough not to have to be taken care of constantly, you are physically able to work and help out the family. Even if schooling were free (which I don't think it is in most low-income nations), the loss of income to the family unit would have an impact.

Just my $.02

Answer 5

Huummmmm.... I would phrase it differently: low-income countries continue to be low-income countries when the government doesn´t invest in education.
On a more cynical side, I would also say that the government (and a small portion of society) doesn´t invest in education because they prefer to keep the "people" ignorant and unaware of their rights.
Some countries have managed to change this scenario quickly, for example South Korea, and other countries are making slow changes, for example Brazil.
The followin links discuss the topic extensively:
http://hdr.undp.org/docs/publications/ocational_papers/oc24aa.htmhttp://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200608/kt2006082017573611910.htm
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/324/7328/23

Answer 6

Same reason as low-income redneck trailer-trash, and high-income snobs.

Answer 7

They're a bit busy making sure their family has enough to eat and that everyone remains healthy to be worrying about quadratic equations.