Prompt: Illiteracy has traditionally been viewed as largely a third world problem. However, it is becoming apparent that in countries such as the USA and Australia, illiteracy rate is on the increase. Discuss possible causes for this and its effect on society. Ċ Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

One of the major problems globally is illiteracy and it increasing steadily. Apart from underdeveloped countries, there are some developed countries that also are battling this issue. The most apparent causes can be financial constraints and lack of employment. In this essay, I will discuss the causes and their effects on society in detail. Ċ Although there are many reasons causing a high rate of illiteracy in many western countries. Firstly, the global financial crisis is the apparent reason to cite for discontinuation of studies among many children. The unprecedented hikes in tuition fees further exert financial pressures on these persons. Along with the increasing cost of living, it is likely that these people quit their studies to enter the workforce. They remain poorly educated. Ċ Without adequate literacy, these students will be unemployed or underemployed. For this reason, it can be detrimental to society in several ways. From a social viewpoint, the unemployed population is more prone to engage in criminal acts such as robbery, in order to ease their financial problems. In addition, unemployed people are often low in morale and are more susceptible to depression. Furthermore, if these youngsters had studied, they would have been employed in a proper job. Thus, from a financial perspective, the government is losing potential tax revenue that could have been used to improve public infrastructure for the betterment of society. Ċ In conclusion, the issue of the rising illiteracy rate has to be addressed urgently in order to prevent or curtail those negative consequences impacting western societies.