Like any other social problem, there are many causes that contribute to illiteracy. AS the data about the illiteracy rate throughout the globe shows, illiteracy rate is significantly higher in less developed areas. From these data, it can be concluded that the lack of access to education plays a main role in illiteracy rate. Another factor that might contribute to this concern, is poverty. People who are born into poor families are more likely to skip school. If one cannot meet their basic needs, how are they supposed to go to school? In addition to the lack of access to school and poverty, there is another less noticeable factor that causes high illiteracy rate especially among women, that is prejudice. Many people refuse to send their daughters to school because they believe women shouldn’t leave the house or because they might think that education makes the soul of a women impure.
The first effect illiteracy has on an individual is that it makes them unable to read and expose to new ideas. It also makes people more prone to bigotry. Bigotry is a big hurdle to development of a society. Therefore, illiteracy creates a loop in which people become more bigot which itself will result to less development; as illustrated in the previous paragraph, less development will contribute to higher illiteracy rate. Illiteracy also makes it impossible to escape from poverty. It is almost impossible for illiterate people to find a well-paying job, so illiteracy plays a key role in the cycle of poverty.
In conclusion, if we want to make sure that everyone in this world will reach to their full potential, we have to create new policies or change the existing policies to eradicate the illiteracy.