TPO 42 - Question 2Some people prefer living in a big city. Other people prefer living in the countryside, away from urban areas. Which do you think is better? Explain why using specific details in your explanation. v.1

Formal schooling for the young is of immense significance for a country’s socioeconomic development, however, some people are convinced that more money should be allocated for educating illiterate adults. I agree with this view to some extent and will analyse the issue in the following essay. On the one hand, government budgets in many countries, particularly in underdeveloped and developing nations, are limited. Therefore, if more funding is spent on improving adult literacy rates, the education of children and adolescents may suffer as a consequence of less funding. Eventually, maintaining a suitable level and quality of education, for both children and illiterate adults, may become an impossible task with limited funding, possibly negatively affecting the education of both groups. However, due to a decrease in the number of blue-collar jobs, thanks to automatic processes, a large number of illiterate adults who work in such positions are being made redundant, and therefore increasing the unemployment rate due to their lack of literacy skills when searching for other types of work. This situation not only reduces the standard of living for many people, but is also an underlying motive for a rise in social problems, such as crime, homelessness, and poverty. Providing formal schooling for adults who cannot read or write proves to be a useful measure to reduce the negative consequences that may occur in a society with high levels of adult illiteracy. In conclusion, state funding may not allow an adequate amount of money for the education of both the youth and adults to take effect. However, I still believe that if more money is spent on educating illiterate adults, social welfare in such regions will benefit tremendously.