Illiterate adults are often unable to fully participate in society and the economy, which ultimately limits their employment opportunities.
These individuals also experience a lack of access to higher education, fewer job opportunities and lower wages than their peers who finished their schooling.
According to recent data from the Department of Higher Education and Training, in 2021, the illiteracy rate was highest amongst 60–64-year-olds (29.2%), followed by 55–59-year-olds (22.9%) and 50–54-year-olds (16.3%).
Despite this being a significant reduction in the adult illiteracy rates, in comparison to figures for 2011 and 2019, nearly 4 million adults were still illiterate in 2021.
Meanwhile, in 2021 the illiteracy rate was lowest amongst 20–24-year-olds (2.0%), followed by 25–29-year-olds (2.3%) and 30–34-year-olds (3.2%).
This shows that younger adults are more literate than older adults, as a result of improved access to education since 1994.
However, the analysis further suggests that even though young adults are proving to be more literate than older adults, illiteracy amongst younger age groups remains a matter of concern, as more than 221 000 individuals aged 15–19, and over 96 000 persons aged 20–24, have not completed Grade 7 of schooling.
The department stressed:
There is therefore a need for CET colleges to be fully resourced to increase opportunities for Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET), particularly with regards to digital literacy and digital platforms, to take care of the challenge of the shortage of education facilities.
The department notes that the CET college sector needs to set a target for reducing illiteracy rates and ensure the provisioning of quality ABET programmes that address illiteracy.
Furthermore, in efforts to address the issue of adult illiteracy in the county, there have been various initiatives and programmes aimed at improving literacy rates.
These includes additional programmes that provides adult learners with basic literacy and numeracy skills, as well as vocational training and life skills education.
However, the issue remains a complex one and further efforts are needed to address it effectively. This means continued investment in education and literacy programmes, as well as increased access to resources and technology, will be key in addressing adult literacy.
