Because general education, not apprenticeship, is for someone who has their minimum met already. Education which is supposed to benefit you in 20 years is hard

Because general education, not apprenticeship, is for someone who has their minimum met already. Education which is supposed to benefit you in 20 years is hard to appreciate when you are worried about tomorrow's meal, rent. Now of course someone will say "kids, whether rich or poor, do not think about 20 years down the line." They would be correct; however here the success of a kid's education depends significantly on their parents' contributions to it. If a parent is poor, and worried about their next meal, you cannot blame them for not having the energy to worry about the long term.