Are you Illiterate?

Illiteracy has been a hot topic of recent years with Australia’s illiteracy slowly increasing and in the 21st century we still have children and adults who cannot read or write.

The thing that has struck me as odd when the issue is discussed throughout the various media is that there is very little responsibility assigned to the parents for our children’s lack of literacy. Is it not the responsibility of parents to ensure that children can read and write? Nowadays schools are expected to guarantee this most important skill is learnt.

I knew how to read, write and do basic arithmetic by the age of four and had grown out of picture books by around seven, but an ever increasing number of kids are starting to learn later in their lives.

Parents are performing a great injustice by not spending time with their kids and teaching them the basic skills that they will need throughout their adult life. Being able to read and write in today’s society is a survival skill that all children should learn as soon as possible.

Of course I speak in general and do not mean to offend any parents out there who have in fact taken the initiative to teach their children. But we cannot ignore the fact that there are a great many children out there who are struggling because their parents felt it was the sole responsibility of schools.

Children take note: rather than suing the schools when you are older you should be suing your parents for negligence.