第 32-34 題為題組 The “M-shaped phenomenon” is gaining traction, with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) recently highlighting Taiwan's as the world's most pronounced during the release of PISA results. The term refers to the extreme discrepancy between the highest and lowest scores when a random sample of 15-year-old students is tested. This reflects the stark contrast between the seemingly egalitarian Taiwanese society and the reality of severe educational disparities, even surpassing that of countries like South Korea and Singapore, which were previously considered to have significant social class gaps. Those who fall behind in the education system face diminishing chances of upward mobility. Theoretically, public school education should benefit everyone equally, ensuring equal learning opportunities,” analyzes Chen, a professor at National Taiwan University. She refers to the concept of “summer learning loss,” which means that economically disadvantaged children are more likely to experience learning stagnation after the long summer vacation compared to their well-off counterparts, who have access to extra classes, enrichment programs, and summer camps. In the past, summer learning loss could be gradually compensated for through the school curriculum. However, if the public school system fails and becomes dominated by economically disadvantaged students lacking family support, the gap between them and the middle class will only widen. What happens when these disadvantaged public-school students graduate and enter the workforce alongside their peers who have received private education since childhood? Lin, a distinguished professor of economics at National Taiwan University, analyzes that the M-shaped phenomenon in education will significantly impact social stability, or rather, social resilience. “If decision-makers or the middle class in a society have increasingly less understanding and connection with different classes, they will not consider these people when making any decisions,” For example, research has shown that post-World War II British society was more willing to care for different classes and even redistribute certain resources compared to the pre-war era. This is because almost all men had fought in World War II, regardless of whether they were Oxford University elites or ordinary workers, they shared common memories and bonds. In modern society, the Internet further reinforces echo chambers, leaving only two opportunities to force people to meet those from different classes and backgrounds: compulsory education and military service. “If a society's polarization reaches an extreme, small problems will become big problems,” Lin analyzes. For example, those in power may lose empathy if they do not care about the feelings of the underprivileged. If the poor are discriminated against or oppressed for too long, once they have nothing to lose, they may go to extremes when faced with major setbacks. “A polarized society is like a net torn in half, it is broken, and people will fall through the cracks... Only if the Social Network is tightly woven will no one be left behind,” says Lin. Schools are a microcosm of society, and if the distrust in education is not addressed promptly, it could evolve into distrust in the entire society. What will be the consequences of a country that is Mshaped from education to society? Japanese trend expert Kenichi Ohmae's book presents several chilling observations: First, economically disadvantaged families will find it increasingly difficult to provide their children with a good education, leading to “hereditary poverty.” Meanwhile, young people who are fortunate enough to have a comfortable family background and a good education will face an M-shaped wage structure after graduation, with most falling into the low-wage bracket. Some may refuse to work and be unwilling to sell cheap labor; many more will choose not to have children to avoid poverty. Finally, the low birth rate will further hit the domestic market, creating a vicious cycle for the entire country.