PARIS, 08 Oct. - (ANA) - Students in rural areas consistently score lower on tests compared to their urban peers. Much of this rural-urban performance gap can be attributed to differences in the socio-economic backgrounds of their families. Given that inequality of opportunity is heavily influenced by inherited circumstances, how can we ensure that future generations have a fairer start?

 

The OECD’s latest report, To Have and Have Not – How to bridge the gap in opportunities, develops and applies a new methodology that shows how much outcomes are determined by circumstances beyond individuals’ control (such as parental background, sex, or birthplace) versus by their efforts. In some OECD countries, circumstances explain as much as 40% of overall income inequality, while in others the share is closer to 15%. Using these insights the report offers concrete policy options to create a level playing field for all.

 

 

To download the report, visit: https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2025/09/to-have-and-have-not-how-to-bridge-the-gap-in-opportunities_f642138a/dec143ad-en.pdf

 

AB/ANA/08 October 2025  - - -