HALTING THE DECLINE
OF EDUCATION

Nearly half of all American adults— people—are functionally illiterate. More than students have been labeled as “learning disabled,” with prescription drugs too often the “remedy” rather than the three “Rs.”

The United States Department of Education reports that every year, high school students—more than —drop out. Other industrialized nations suffer the same plague—dropout rates average nearly in Europe.

Some American adults score at “Below Basic” in rudimentary language skills, and more can perform only the simplest everyday tasks involving words and numbers.

Studies show that illiteracy is a key factor in crime. An estimated of adult prisoners are functionally or marginally illiterate and of juvenile offenders are deficient in reading, writing and basic math.

The cost of this crisis to government, businesses and taxpayers runs in the of dollars. The cost in human terms is incalculable.

In much of the world, the crisis is even deeper, with broad access to education nonexistent. Some of the children who do not attend school are barred from doing so by poverty and internal wars. In sub-Saharan Africa, Southern and Western Asia, the Arab States and North Africa, school nonattendance ranges from of school-age children.

Is it possible to rescue failing or inaccessible education systems and bring hope to the illiterate people worldwide? Is it possible to enable individuals to achieve literacy and competence and thus contribute to the life and culture of our society?

The answer is yes, and it lies in the breakthrough discoveries of L. Ron Hubbard and making them globally available through the efforts of Applied Scholastics International.

Education in the fullest sense of the word is the goal of Applied Scholastics. The aim is not only to help students resolve study difficulties and overcome barriers, but to enable them to become self-sufficient, independent learners who can be responsible for their own lifelong learning and education.