Gulistan Kavak’s parents came to Sweden from an area in Kurdistan – where they had never gone to school and could neither read nor write.
This meant that she and her siblings already had to shoulder a great deal of responsibility as children.
– On one occasion, I was supposed to translate when my father received his cancer notice, says Gulistan Kavak, who is the daughter of illiterate people.
Sweden is the third best country in reading ability according to the OECD’s latest report, which was released today. The countries share third place with the Netherlands and Norway in numeracy, and with Norway in problem solving.
The OECD last conducted the survey in 2012. However, the report shows that Sweden’s results in reading and arithmetic would have been significantly better compared to 2012, if it had not been for changes in the population.
– Every third person born abroad lacks sufficient reading skills to cope in the Swedish labor market, says Labor Market and Integration Minister Mats Persson at a press conference.
According to the report, Sweden has had the largest increase in the proportion of foreign-born among the participating countries. This has led to a larger proportion of participants who had varying degrees of difficulty with the test language.
– We have far too many who lack knowledge of Swedish. This means that we have a class society and risk having a clearer class society, says Mats Persson.
“Would translate when my father got the cancer news”
Gulistan Kavak’s parents came to Sweden from an area in Kurdistan. There was no access to school, which explains why her parents never learned to read or write.
– The first time I interpreted for my parents I was five years old, says Kavak and continues:
– I was at preschool, and my mother asked me to say something to my preschool teacher.
When Kavak was in elementary school, she sometimes had to skip school to accompany her parents to hospital visits.
– On one occasion, I was supposed to translate when my father received his cancer notice. There and then I actually didn’t do it, but I told it at a later time.
The school needs to improve: Use different channels
Kavak, who is now a counselor, believes that you cannot put the responsibility solely on the school.
– Parents need to create a study culture and a reading climate in the home. The student has a great responsibility to want to learn and then the school has a responsibility where you have to teach the students.
She believes that the school needs to get better at using different channels to reach out to the guardians.
– It is not enough to email or put information on the school’s website. If the school does not get a response, it is important to either call, text or send a letter home.