UK, July 22, 2011 (Daily Mail): Teenagers from Hindu backgrounds are almost twice as likely to go to university than those of a Christian faith, Government research suggests. More than three in four (77 per cent) youngsters who describe themselves as Hindu go into higher education, according to statistics gathered for the Department for Education. In comparison, less than half (45 per cent) of those that consider themselves Christian go to university.
The figures are drawn from the Longitudinal Survey of Young People in England, which questioned thousands of teenagers.
The findings also show that almost two thirds (63 per cent) of Sikh youngsters choose to take a degree, along with more than half of young Muslims (53 per cent). Just under a third (32 per cent) of those who give their religion as ‘none’ go to university.
Professor Steve Strand of Warwick University suggested that religion is also a proxy for ethnicity. He told the Times Educational Supplement that there were a number of factors why different proportions of teenagers from different backgrounds go to university.
Prof Strand said that generally, “white working class children and their parents often do not see the relevance of the curriculum or of attending university.”
“Asian families, even if they are from difficult socio-economic backgrounds, see education as a way up.”