Basic education the key to earning a living

TOM O’LEARY (Irish Examiner letters, August 21) does not know the difference between academic achievement and a good basic education necessary to make one’s way in life and earn a living.

The fact that Thomas Edison was illiterate is irrelevant. I did not know this, but I did not need to in order to earn a living. What I need is to be able to read and write, add and subtract.

Edison was specially gifted - so were some famous film stars and a world heavyweight boxing champion, all of whom were illiterate.