The use of extracurricular classes in childhood education, inequalities and educational policies

The use of extracurricular activities during early childhood education helps to develop some important skills. However, many of these are private and represent a significant economic burden for many families, generating inequalities of opportunities among students. The objectives of this work are to analyze existing educational policies and to know the influence of the use of extracurricular activities on the family economy. A structured questionnaire was used that was answered by the families of children in early childhood education at an educational center in Arjonilla (Jaén, Spain). We have performed a descriptive analysis of the data and the results indicate that indicate that for most families it is an economic effort to pay for the extracurricular activities of their children. We conclude that family socioeconomic status influences the quantity and quality of extracurricular activities that families can provide to their children, thus generating educational inequalities.