Band 7.5 Essay Sample About Schools And Colleges Giving Too Much Importance To Theoretical Learning
The following is an essay submitted by one of our students.
Some people say that in all levels of education, from primary school to universities, too much time is spent on learning facts and not enough on learning practical skills. Do you agree or disagree?
Band 7.5 essay sample
Many people complain that nowadays the educational system pays less attention to practical skills and favors theoretical knowledge instead. They argue that as a result, many graduates are finding it difficult to secure jobs. I don’t quite agree with this view. Actually I disagree with the argument that schools should shift their focus to practical skills development. In this essay, I will support my stand by analyzing the demands of the labor market as well as the relevance of acquiring skills.
The transition from industrial to the post-industrial society has reduced the number of professions that require hand labor. For instance, the job of a motorman used to be considered lucrative in the past. Now it is expected that all humans will be replaced by robots in the London Underground by 2020. This example proves that the modern world requires more intellectual workers who will be able to create new systems. Workers who can just operate those systems will be redundant in the near future. In other words, in this fast changing world, practical skills become outdated in a matter of years.
The other important point is the inertness of the educational system. For example, my friend’s wife studied typewriting in a college. She is now jobless because these machines have been displaced by computers. While it is true that she possesses a practical skill, it has no takers in the age of computers. Evidently, even after supplying students with cutting-edge practical skills nobody can guarantee they will be useful in the future. At the same time, giving them more theoretical knowledge might improve their employability.
As the above discussion has shown, the society should not insist that the educational focus should shift from theory to application. Only investment in deep fundamental knowledge can guarantee high and stable pace of development to the humankind.
