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A paradoxical proposal: more education = more illiteracy

Francisco Miraval

According to experts, in 2014 two incompatible yet inseparable trends will be seen in the United States, thus creating what it could be described as a paradoxical equation: the more opportunities people have to access higher education, the more illiterate adults we may see in this country.

According to trend analyst Celente, of the Trends Research Institute, in the United States there are new “socio-economic dynamics,” including the rise in social tensions, at the same time that we are seen a new “deep philosophy” about education and personal enrichment.

The new approach to education and learning is based on “the explosion of digital education,” that is, on the growing acceptance of new online education platforms, such as Coursera or EdX, where you can take free or low-cost classes from traditional universities. Those classes are now accepted by some universities and by many companies as part of your professional development plan.

This new trend, called “micro-learning based on skills,” will have “enormous implication” for people, institutions, industries, and businesses, according to Celente.

However, at the same time that we see the expansion of educational options, we also see in the United States a high number of illiterate adults. According to a recent report (October 2013) by the Organization for the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), there are 36 million American adults who do not know how to read or write or how to complete simple mathematical calculations, or they do it at a very basic level.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 314 million people in this country. Of them, 240 million are 18 years of age or older. This means that 15 percent of American adults are illiterate, putting the United States at the same level of countries such as Ecuador, Peru, Iraq, or Libya, according to the UNESCO Institute of Statistics.

In a recent press release, CLASP (a national organization promoting opportunities for low-income families) said the OECD report reveals that the current education system for adults in the United States reaches “only a fraction” of those who could benefit with that education.

According to CLASP, the problem could be solved, but neither the federal government nor local governments provide the funds to do it. During the last decade, federal funds for adult education have been reduced, CLASP said. Therefore, “the epidemic of illiteracy among adults” will continue in the future.

In other words, at the same time that college education classes are more accessible online and at a low cost, there are more adults in the United States lacking basic knowledge, and, therefore, “facing big obstacles to achieve a decent life.”

The paradox is that the new opportunities to access higher education create a gap that prevents the access to those opportunities for those who want to need higher education.

Illiteracy generates tragic and painful consequences. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 85 percent of juvenile inmates and 60 percent of adult inmates are “functionally illiterate.” And 43 percent of illiterate people live in poverty.

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