On the weekend I listened to a Radio National program called The Money. Ordinarily, this type of program would not appeal to me, but when I heard the topic was ‘The Economic Cost of Illiteracy’, I was interested in what it had to say. The presenter, Richard Aedy, interviewed three people: Jordana Hunter – Program Director at the Grattan Institute; Jessica del Rio – Lead for Government and Public Finance at Equity Economics; and Richard Holden – Professor of Economics at the University of NSW.

The program opened with a focus on the critical importance of reading as the ‘gateway for better opportunities’ for all young people. Described as a key foundational skill, reading was said to promote academic success at school across all curriculum areas such as Mathematics, Science, the Humanities, and the Arts. Yet psychologists suggest that for many students who either cannot read or have difficulty reading, going to school each day can be experienced as ‘frequent and repetitive trauma’.

Studies have shown that one third of students struggle with reading. Results from the OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) – a measure of 15-year-olds’ ability to use their Reading, Mathematics and Science knowledge and skills to meet real-life challenges – indicate that Australia’s performance over the past twenty years has been in decline. In 2022, the percentage of Australian students in the high-performance category for reading decreased, while the percentage of low performers increased. The percentage of students reaching proficiency standards also decreased with only 57% meeting the National Proficiency Standard for Reading. 

A conservative estimate of the cost of illiteracy to the Australian economy is $40 billion dollars a year. Yet, solving this literacy problem is said to be one of the most achievable social policy challenges of our time. The factors which could address this literacy deficit include an improvement in the following: teacher expertise, quality tertiary education, curriculum materials, screening processes, and intervention programs. The radio participants called for a long-term commitment by governments to address this critical situation. I would argue that this commitment must also come from educational systems, teacher training institutions, school leadership teams, teachers, and parents to ensure that the quality of literacy education is improved. The ability to read has significant implications for the life chances of our young people as they enter the economy and engage with society. One very chilling statement citing the ‘school to prison pipeline’, highlighted for me the seriousness of this undertaking.

Clare Murphy

English Coordinator and Literacy Instructional Coach