Impacts of Illiteracy
Given that the process of education is an ongoing journey from birth to death, illiteracy has various consequences affecting all age groups, including the following:
- Illiteracy negatively influences an individual’s social status and their ability to engage and integrate with others.
- It impacts income sources and capital assets.
- For children, particularly in early childhood, illiteracy can hinder brain development and language acquisition.
- For older children, illiteracy during their educational phases affects the attainment of values, habits, and knowledge, resulting in a diminished sense of community belonging.
- It reduces the likelihood of children securing first-rate jobs and employment opportunities in the future.
- Illiteracy leads to a lack of awareness regarding individual rights and responsibilities.
- It contributes to poor health and nutrition and an increase in disease rates due to a lack of information related to health for individuals and families.
- Illiteracy adversely affects self-care practices due to an inability to read and write.
- There is a noted decrease in individual productivity within communities and an increase in healthcare costs.
- Illiteracy diminishes awareness of essential daily life topics, such as personal hygiene.
- It results in higher rates of occupational accidents among workers who are unable to read operational instructions for machinery.
- Illiteracy adversely affects reproductive health due to a lack of understanding regarding sexual health and reproductive issues.
- It influences parents’ ability to support their children’s education, which can significantly affect academic achievement.
What is Illiteracy?
Illiteracy is defined as the inability to read and write, commonly referred to as ‘alphabetic illiteracy.’ When an individual cannot read or write and also lacks the skills necessary to fulfill their everyday needs, this is known as ‘functional illiteracy.’
Causes of Illiteracy
Illiteracy is regarded as a social issue that various organizations and governments strive to overcome. The existence of illiteracy can be attributed to several factors, including:
- Poor parental education levels, often linked to a lack of educational resources and materials.
- Underperformance in academics due to persistent school dropouts.
- Adverse economic and living conditions resulting from poverty.
- Learning difficulties, such as challenges with reading and writing, can lead to frustration and hinder efforts in these areas.
- Distractions from learning due to the need to work for livelihood and support family members.