Some People Think That Secondary School Children Should Study International News As One Of The School Subjects | Band 7 IELTS Essay Sample

Some people think that secondary school children should study international news as one of the school subjects. Other people think that it is a waste of valuable school time. What do you think? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

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Model Answer

According to some people, secondary school children should be aware of international news and for this purpose it should be added to their curriculum. While this may enhance students’ knowledge of current affairs, I feel it is politically dangerous and severely damaging for the mental growth of school students.

To start with, young minds will simply digest and assimilate any information fed to them and hence the news feed that arrives to the classroom has to be authentic and truthful. If schools are not careful about choosing an unbiased source of news and information, it may affect children’s perspectives. For instance, if a child grows up watching FOXNEWS, they are more likely to be attracted to the right wing political ideology. Unless impartial sources of news are chosen, this can lead to polarization in the society.

Furthermore, the education system is supposed to enlighten and inspire youngsters to set and achieve positive goals in life. However, much of the news broadcast on popular channels is predominantly negative in nature. For example, after reading the news, a teenager will learn more about natural disasters, epidemic, riots and famines happening around the world than about the positive aspects of life like scientific inventions, sports or inspirational stories. Exposure to such news will only convince them that the world is a dangerous place. It will not inspire them to contribute to the society or become a role model for others.

To conclude, international news is inappropriate information for a child’s consumption given the political bias and the negative nature of its content. Hence, I believe that it should not be part of the school curriculum.

Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I'm Manjusha. This is my blog where I give IELTS preparation tips.