Education failure

I recently heard a representative of the Citizens Advice Bureau state that around 20 per cent of their clients in Scotland consider themselves unable to use the internet.

This is not an access issue, rather an inability to use the internet itself. They are unable to complete forms online, or make a job application. This is presumably the same 20 per cent who leave our schools functionally illiterate. This is also the group who are disproportionately represented in our prison system. It was also stated that the average adult reading age in Scotland is 11.

In what universe can Scotland claim to have a good education system which excludes such a high percentage of the population from everyday internet activity that the rest of us take for granted?

For those above the level of functional illiteracy, many would find any form of further education or training extremely difficult with a reading age of 11 or less. We are marginalising a large section of the Scottish public and reducing their opportunities in life.

The SNP government repeatedly bandies around words and phrases such as “social justice”, “inclusivity”, “social mobility” and “closing the attainment gap”, while steadfastly ignoring the fact that the greatest barrier to any of these is the inability to read fluently.

Throwing derisory amounts of money at schools in more disadvantaged areas will make no difference without a sea change in literacy strategies. Perhaps once the Growth Commission has finished its work, the government could turn its attention to something which, on a daily basis, impacts so negatively on the lives of many Scottish citizens.

CAROLE FORD Terregles Avenue, Glasgow