Low Literacy Rate at Primary Level: Identification of Causes and Impacts

Abstract

The current study was conducted to identify the causes of the low literacy rate and its impact on the community at the primary level. Two objectives were formulated (a) to explore causes of low literacy rate and (b) to discover the impact of low literacy rate on the community. All the teachers of primary schools working in the public sector and parents of the students were the population. A sample of 210 (200 teachers and 10 parents) was selected through the convenience sampling method fromTehsil Kamaliadistrict Toba Tek Singh of the Punjab province of Pakistan. An instrument based on a five-point Likert scale for teachers and an interview schedule for parents was used for data collection. Quantitative data revealed that overpopulation, lack of staff at schools, ineffective curriculum, lack of discipline at schools, corporal punishment, poverty, old teaching methods, social constraints/family disputes, and health and safety were the causes of illiteracy. Moreover, the study revealed that there had no political influence on low literacy. Similarly, qualitative data also confirmed that said indicators are the causes of low literacy. On the basis of the results of the study, it is recommended that government, as well as concerned authorities, should eradicate said causes to improve the literacy rate.