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Poor literacy contributing to SA’s youth unemployment, says expert

Details

education thumb100 The Citizen reports that South Africans continue to search for possible reasons and solutions for the high rate of unemployment in the country.

According to Nazeer Hoosen, CEO at The Federated Employers Mutual Assurance, one of the reasons for the high rate of unemployment is poor literacy. He says it is worrying that the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study report revealed that 81% of grade 4 learners in SA cannot read for meaning. Hoosen is of the view that the poor literacy level in SA is a barrier for the youth when it comes to future career prospects. There are different ways in which poor literacy hinders the youth from getting mid-level and higher positions. Moreover, due to the creation of Artificial intelligence (AI), there is going to be a reduction in entry-level positions. A 2023 report by edX, an online education platform, estimates that 56% of the entry-level positions will be taken over by AI over the next five years. Jobs that will be available will require a higher education qualification or specified skills. Poor literacy is also explained to be a barrier to effective skills development. Hoosen points out that the ability to develop new skills is important in today’s continuously changing world. Being able to develop new skills with ease will help the youth to navigate both work and personal life. “With companies de-centralising operations to embrace remote work structures, written communication will replace verbal discussions to a larger extent,” Hoosen notes. Many employees in future will need to have the ability to provide clear communication, as they will be expected to communicate effectively and professionally in written format. Hoosen believes both parents and teachers should prioritise instilling a love for books and reading in children from an early age.

  • Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tshehla Cornelius Koteli at The Citizen


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