Half of us are barely literate and it's getting worse

The Government claims our school pupils are doing brilliantly - but the facts say otherwise, writes Alasdair Palmer.

The most graphic illustration of the failure of the British education system is the vast number of people who, despite 11 years of full-time schooling, cannot read, write and add up properly. The Government's own figures show that 5.2 million workers in Britain today are "functionally illiterate", and 6.8 million are "functionally innumerate".
"Functional illiteracy" is not the same as the blank inability to read anything – but the bar for competence ... Full Story »

Posted by Dale Penn
Tags Help
Subjects: World, Education
Topics: Global Literacy
Editorial Help
Posted by: Posted by Dale Penn - Feb 1, 2009 - 11:31 AM PST
Edit Lock: This story can be edited
Edited by: Dale Penn - Feb 1, 2009 - 11:31 AM PST

Reviews

Show All | Notes | Comments | Quotes | Links
Dale Penn
3.7
by Dale Penn - Feb. 2, 2009

This story is from the UK. I didn't anticipate this piece. From the media reports we receive here, it seems the US is behind other developed countries on the education front. This piece makes me want to dig deeper into the issue of global illiteracy to learn just where the US does stand in the greater scheme of things.

See Full Review » (11 answers)
Kristin Gorski
3.5
by Kristin Gorski - Feb. 2, 2009

The comments to this opinion piece add an interesting, comprehensive dimension to it.

See Full Review » (12 answers)
Kenneth Sibbett
3.0
by Kenneth Sibbett - Feb. 2, 2009

I can't tell who the author is blaming for this problem. The Government, the Teachers, or the students. If the government wants 50%, thats reading at a sixth grade level, That's what they'll get. I don't see why you shoot for a specific number, Away's shoot for 100% and see what you get.

Like it not, not everybody is going to be Bill Gates. You need painter's, plumber's, roofer,s etc,etc,etc,. While I believe hard work will take you places, and make you a good life.But everybody's DNA is different, Einstien didn't get that smart from the school's he went to. He could have been raised in a library, an I believe he world have taught himself.

See Full Review » (6 answers)

Comments on this story Help (BETA)

NT Rating | My Rating

Ratings

3.4

Average
from 4 reviews (40% confidence)
Quality
3.4
Information
3.5
Insight
3.7
Style
3.7
Context
3.0
Enterprise
3.5
Expertise
3.0
Originality
3.5
Relevance
4.0
Popularity
3.3
Recommendation
3.2
Credibility
3.7
# Reviews
2.0
# Views
5.0
# Likes
1.0
# Emails
1.0
More
How our ratings work »
(See these related stories.)

Links Help

No links yet. Please review this story to add some!