Believe me, this is not only in the UK.
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VinsCool
emigre
It affects the western world. There's a lot of adults in the US and Europe who lack reading comprehension. It explains a lot as it ties into a lack critical of considerable sections of the populace.
emigre
It always blow my mind. My folks are uneducated immigrants from the third world and I was still able to do well (degree, two professional certifications) let alone have a reasonable reading comprehension.