Illiteracy: Its Causes and Solutions

   

Illiteracy is one of the most severe problems in modern day society. Even with all these advancements in recent years, there are still some who are illiterate; they cannot read or write. The causes of illiteracy are plenty, but the most prevalent of them is poverty.

   Out of the 2.2 billion children present in the world, almost a billion are suffering from poverty and 121 million are deprived of education. Most of the poverty stricken families, who cannot afford more than a meal or two a day, have no intention of educating their children and often make them work in low-income jobs in order to support the family. Another significant cause of illiteracy is overpopulation. The world population has been continuously growing since 1350 when it was nearly 370 million to the 7 billion that are present today. There is a strong correlation between poverty and illiteracy rates. For example, India which holds around 17% of the world's population, has one of the world’s largest illiteracy rates at 37% concluded in a 2014 study by TIME magazine. Gender bias also plays a role in illiteracy. In countries like India and Pakistan many, often illiterate parents, have a misconception that a son has the right of education and a daughter is considered a burden and must be denied such things. As a result, more women are illiterate than men are.
 

   We usually take literacy for granted, but we should always be reminded that it is one of the most important and one of the most necessary skills a person can attain. It allows individual to succeed in life. From understanding the instructions and indications on a medicine bottle to performing well in a job, literacy is vital to having a sustainable society. How can one work and do good for his community when he or she does not have the basic fundamental skills of reading and writing? 

   In order to counter illiteracy, schools, corporations, and the media must enforce good reading habits. We should read more, much more than we do now. In poorer areas there are already organizations that are supporting them but it will never be enough as long as the population count is increasing. The best way to fight literacy is to stop the causes. Families should limit themselves to having two children, but if they cannot support two, they should have only one to provide him or her with a proper education. If the population decreases then also the poverty rates will decrease as job opportunities and money will be spread out more evenly. Finally, there should be no gender bias, especially in education related matters; women have the right of education as much as men do. 

   Most importantly, one suggestion on how to increase DJIS students' literacy level would be to read more. There is no way to increase our literacy level if we don’t read. All the information mankind has ever gained before the creation of recent technology has been through writings and books. 

                             Aaron Blabey - The Importance of Literacy
Mohamed Shaban - 11 Silver