1. Promotes Life-Long Learning

As many of us realize after we’ve graduated, learning is a lifelong journey. The more we learn, the more we’re able to adapt to a fast-changing world. The more we’re able to adapt, the more we can continually improve our standard of living and lead longer, healthier, and more creative lives.

Literacy is a prerequisite for a broader education. Students who struggle to read (often due to language barriers in the classroom) are more likely to drop out of school before they can complete a basic education. This can set off a vicious cycle: literacy rates increase as levels of completed schooling increase. [1]

2. Improves The Economy And Creates Jobs

Literacy is a powerful tool against poverty. If all students in low-income countries had basic reading skills, 171 million people could escape extreme poverty. Illiteracy comes at a high price. According to the World Literacy Foundation, illiteracy costs the global economy $1.5 trillion annually.

Currently, there are 192 million people unemployed around the world. Even more people have jobs but struggle with poor pay or poor working conditions (or both). In both cases, a lack of basic literacy and numeracy skills means that many people are immediately disqualified from a high number of decent livelihoods. [1]

3. Promotes Self Esteem

If nothing else, literacy builds self-esteem. Readers who struggle are more likely to have difficulty expressing themselves, even verbally. This can lead to anxiety, depression, or other issues that impact an overall quality of life.

The more able a person is to express themselves, the greater their confidence, their self-esteem, and their chance at living a happy, healthy life. [1]

IntelliMetric is on a mission to extend the right to literacy across the globe. Ready to get started with IntelliMetric?

Sources:

[1] https://www.concernusa.org/story/benefits-of-literacy-against-poverty/