Essay 56 – Students should learn practical skills at school

GT Writing Task 2 / Essay Sample # 56

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Many people feel that students today should learn practical skills at school such as car maintenance, fixing furniture, and managing a bank account.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer: [Agree]

It is argued by some that students should be taught hands-on skills at school, for instance, troubleshooting tools, fixing furniture and necessary devices, and managing a bank account in tandem with academic courses. In the case, I wholeheartedly agree with the notion since teaching first-hand competence in school gives pupils edge in life.

To commence with, practical skills will come in handy someday and prove to be life-saver. Students should learn the basics of car maintenance like, changing oil, changing a flat tire, replacing wipers and so on since they never know when they will be left stranded all of a sudden because of these car issues. Similarly, students ought to be taught some common furniture repairs such as loose chairs, loose veneer, stuck drawers and stripped screws so as to eliminate safety hazards. Likewise, financial literacy is vital for students in order to make the habit of budgeting, spending wisely, and saving regularly, as these habits have domino effects on every part of life.

Those skills are of profound importance in life. Now the question is whether pupils should be taught these competencies in school or not. In my opinion, schools are the most suitable place to do so. First and foremost, by learning hands-on skills at a young age, students can acquire the habits of a lifetime much earlier. For example, if the students grow the habit of budgeting, spending wisely, and saving regularly, then they can save thousands of dollars and learn how to invest. Secondly, school is the ideal place for teaching those practical skills because parents can’t always teach those skills at home.

To conclude, it seems reasonable to assume that school ought to be a place for learners to equip the skills they need to walk confidently into the real world. So, we should integrate these practical skills into the traditional course structure.