4 Reasons For Low Literacy Rates In African Countries

Do you know how many of Africa’s children are learning in school? According to The Africa Learning Barometer, most school-going children in Africa get such low-quality of education that the value that the education adds can be called into question. Many are not able to read or write fluently or even complete the most basic numeracy tasks. There are organizations that have been working to alleviate this problem by providing help to Bonanyang School Project and more such initiatives, but more needs to be done. So, why is the scenario so dismal? There are a number of reasons, the most common of which are as follows:

1. Malnutrition

Preschool malnutrition is one of the biggest impediments in quality education, and malnutrition is a widespread problem in the region. This condition can have extremely damaging and mostly irreversible effects on the language, motor and memory skills, which are what makes learning effective.

1. Parental illiteracy

Another preschool barrier to proper education is the illiteracy among the adults of the region. A big percentage of the 48 million African children who enter school come from houses that have illiterate environments. This is why they lack the early training, such as basic reading and language as well as numeracy skills that form the foundation for their learning in school. Such children struggle when they make the transition to school.

1. Poverty and gender bias

The education system in Africa is extensively affected by the social and economic conditions in which they operate. Many children are forced out of school and into working by household poverty. In addition to that, the orthodox gender rules and roles can mean that girls do not get access to education like the boys. Also, in countries such as Mali and Niger, child marriage forces girls to give up their education even before they finish primary school.

1. Weak school system

At the heart of the education crisis is the weak school system of the region. One of the biggest reasons why children are not able to learn well is because of the quality of teaching. In a survey done in countries such as Mozambique and Uganda, it was found that primary school teachers were not able to score in a test designed for 12-year olds. It is easy to blame it all on the teachers, but we need to understand that they themselves are a product of the same system. Even they haven’t really received quality education.

The scale of the education crisis in Africa is daunting, but the solutions are right there. For instance, the governments need to do more to help the children of the marginalized communities, by providing financial assistance, targeted support as well as official awareness programs. In addition to that, capable civilians should also extend their helping hand, such as by providing help for Bonanyang School Project and other such initiatives.

Author’s bio: The author is a blogger. This article is about the reasons for low literacy in Africa.