Engineered scarcity refers to the deliberate under-resourcing of public institutions—especially those that serve structurally marginalised people—under the pretence that there is simply “not enough to go around.” This logic of austerity reshapes public expectations, lowers standards, and normalises systemic neglect.
In education, engineered scarcity shows up as:
- Overcrowded classrooms that exceed recommended size and composition guidelines;
- Shortages of educational assistants, counsellors, and specialists;
- Waitlists for assessment or intervention services that delay access to support;
- Deferred maintenance, inaccessible buildings, and unsafe learning environments;
- Burnout among educators, who are held responsible for compensating for system-level gaps.