The importance of education

As an identified basic human right, education is accepted as being important to everyone. I argue that it is of particular value to those living with singular or multiple intersections of disadvantage. Young people living in poverty are particularly vulnerable, especially to the impacts of social exclusion, when they do not have access to an education. The data used is taken from an 18 month ethnographic study in NSW, Australia, researching with young people living the extremes of disadvantage. I have also included reflections and experiences of time spent working in Bali, Indonesia. Sen (1999) argues that social justice for those living disadvantaged lives can be explored through a capabilities approach that identifies the ability of people to make choices. I further argue that, using Sen’s understandings of capability, that the importance of education is therefore in its ability to provide the opportunity for different and more beneficial life choices to those who live in disadvantage