Illiteracy has traditionally been viewed as largely a Third World problem. It is seen as having a effect on a country's development.
Discuss some of the causes of this problem and suggest the best ways to overcome it
It is true that the illiteracy rates, in some countries, have been on the increase and been viewed as a Third World problem. This issue must be alleviated because it is global and many people are suffering.
There are many reasons for illiteracy. First of all, the high level of poverty is the main cause of the problem. Most poor families are unable to afford educational fees for their off-springs; therefore, these children skip schools and start working at early ages. For example, many young people see labor jobs simply as a means of earning money, and they are happy if they are able to cover their own living expense and support their family. Another factor is poor educational systems. Most education institutions in developing countries are not designed to cope with huge volume of students, due to poor infrastructure and a lack of staff members.
There are some measures available for educational authorities to consider when dealing with this problem. Firstly, public funds could be invested into regenerating the schools' infrastructure. Constructing new modern buildings and training more teachers would reduce some of the problem. Another solution to solve the issue is to provide free or low-cost education until tertiary levels. This will either encourage young people to go to public schools, or guarantee the efficient number of well-educated citizens.
In conclusion, poverty and poor education system are two factors contributing to illiteracy rates. To deal with this problem, investment in school infrastructure and the introduction of free education are two viable solutions.
lliteracy has traditionally been viewed as largely a Third World problem. It is seen as having a effect on a country's development.
Discuss some of the causes of this problem and suggest the best ways to overcome it
It is true that the illiteracy rates , in some countries, have been on the increaserise and been viewed as a Third World problem. This issue must be alleviated because it is global and many people are suffering.Elaborate more on why it is a Third World problem and the various forms of suffering that illiteracy causes (eg no social mobility, corruption and extortion of the illiterate poor).
There are many reasons for illiteracy. First of all, the high level of poverty is the main cause of the problem. Most poor families are unable to afford school fees for their off-springschildren ; therefore, these children skip schools and start working at an early age. For example, many young people see labor jobs simply as a means of earning moneywould take up manual labor jobs because it provides an income to support their families , and they are happy if they are able to cover their own living expense and support their family . Another factor is poor educational systems. Most education institutions in developing countries are not designed to cope with hugethe large/high volume of students, due to poor infrastructure and a lackshortage of staff membersteachers .
There are some measures available for educational authorities to consider when dealing with this problem. Firstly, public funds could be invested into regenerating the schools' infrastructure. Constructing new modern buildings and training more teachers would reduce some of the problem. Another solution to solve the issue is to provide free or low-cost education until tertiary levels. This will either encourage young people to go to public schools, or guarantee the efficient number of well-educated citizens.Here, you fall into the danger of listing ways that illiteracy can be addressed, without substantiating why those are the best ways to overcome it. Idealistically, governments would fulfill these aims, but they do not have unlimited funds to do so. Try and consider feasible solutions for governments of these Third World countries to implement, with their budgetary constraints in mind. Providing education to the rural poor requires a grassroots approach, not modern buildings. Some great resources are on the UN website, especially in relation the Millennium Development Goals.
In conclusion, poverty and the poor education system are two factors contributing to illiteracy rates. To deal with this problem, investment in school infrastructure and the introduction of free education are two viable solutions.
Dear lightjade,
First of all, thank you so much for taking your time to help me. However, there are some of your corrections that I couldn't understand, could you please explain
1. on the increase/on the rise: they are both idioms, so why can't I use 'increase' in this context?
2. educational fees: I meant any fees that are related to education, not just school fees in particular so would 'educational fees' be fine then?
3. what are the difference between 'huge volume' and 'large/high volume'? I meant I've seen both 'high volume of sales' and 'huge volume of sales' in many articles but I don't know how they are different.
Thank you so much in advance.
Meagan
Hi Meagan,
I'm not a huge stickler for grammar and vocabulary so I don't have any other justifications for the substitutes, other than the fact that it's stylistic. In my opinion, the small changes in words help with the flow of the essay, nothing really technical.
1. On the rise/on the increase: 'On the increase' is less commonly used than 'on the rise' so sometimes it can be mistaken as an error in that sentence. It easily go 'Illiteracy rates are increasingly problematic in today's world'
2. The word 'fees' are usually more narrowed down in terms of education (ie tuition fees, school fees), so it's hard to encompass all the costs of an education under a phrase like 'educational fees'. I see what you're trying to say about families not being to afford both the actual costs of schooling and the intangible/invisible costs, but it's not the best way to lump it. Educational is an adjective to describe something that educates or pertains to education, hence it's not really appropriate here.
3. The choice between 'large' and 'huge' is a matter of degree, but huge comes across as more exaggerated.
I'm pretty sure that a more professional editor would be more useful in explanation (or editing your piece for that matter) because I'm just new here! I hope it helps a little more, but don't take my word as the be-all-end-all for your essay!
Hi lightjade,
Your comments and corrections help me so much. I think I understand those phrases/words more clearly and accurately.
Thank you,
Meagan
wonderful feedback !!
