In the past, literate people were of rarity because of lack of resources and teachers, gender discrimination and other several factors

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In the past, literate people were of rarity because of lack of resources and teachers, gender discrimination and other several factors. However, today, due to the unprecedented improvements made in education, people have greater opportunities to learn. Irrespective of these, ironically, some unlettered people can usually be found. This phenomenon can be quite troublesome, so I feel that there is an intense need for immediate action to combat the problem.

The inability to read and write might put adults at some disadvantages. As a first point, this can reduce their chances of gainful employment. Indeed, in order to hire job applicants, many, if not all, companies require them to have at least one degree in higher education, put aside the ability to read and write, which means that those adults might be deprived of getting a rewarding job. Therefore, they might be obliged to have blue-collar jobs, which are often low-paying, leading them to face potential financial hardships. Another drawback is that illiterate adults tend to struggle with their day-to-day life. For instance, they cannot read important documents or news, fill in applications, or help their children with their homework, which can affect their daily functioning.

Meanwhile, tackling the issue appears to be feasible. One viable solution is raising public awareness of the aforementioned drawbacks, which can be done by televising programs or conducting workshops on a large scale. Were adults to realize the problems related to being illiterate, they would possibly attempt to learn themselves. A further measure is offering free adult training courses aimed at improving literacy rates in the short term. This can be quite tempting as money can sometimes deter them from involving in learning. Hopefully, these two approaches can show great effectiveness in handling the problem.

In conclusion, a decline in the literacy of adults might bring about tremendous disadvantages. Thus, I believe that various options, including increasing public consciousness and free adult education, should be implemented immediately to address the issue.