In my parents case, in Vietnam, if you didn't have money, you don't have education. I feel what the author is trying to say it that, educations is only taught due to your class. The more money or class you had, the better the education. Before even finishing the story, I had detest his commentary on how education is different. Then I realized, that wealthy or poor have their differences.
More wealthy parents are willing to make more of education for their children than the poor.
The poor focuses more on how to make more money to support the family. That's how I see it. My parents will still tell me that is how it is in Vietnam. If you're poor, you work more on making more money than education. If you're rich you don't care about money as much.