Equity and Adequacy in Education

In this thesis, I critically scrutinize the celebrated ideal of equal educational opportunity in academic literature and policymaking. The discussion is placed against the backdrop of a long-standing debate over whether educational justice requires that all children receive an equal education (equity) or a sufficient education (adequacy). Firstly, I survey the debate and define the different egalitarian approaches. This sets the stage for this thesis. I raise two objections against the ideal of equal educational opportunity, which is a specific form of educational equity. The first is that educational justice cannot consistently be pursued in terms of ‘opportunity’ – either morally or practically. The second objection is that pursuing educational justice in terms of equity overlooks, and potentially aggravates, the concern that contemporary societies segregate by educational background. My arguments also underscore the following position: realizing adequate education for all children would be a better primary focus than equal educational opportunity.