You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Children are facing more pressures nowadays from academic, social and commercial perspectives. What are the causes of these pressures and what measures should be taken to reduce this?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer:
With the ever-increasing competitions and demands in life, a child’s family, school and society, as a whole, expect too much from the child. While it is important to excel in schools, sports, social activities and in other aspects of life, those children should be shielded from the mounting pressures by maintaining a balance in their life. Otherwise, the expectation would act as a boomerang and hamper the development of a child.
The world has become far more competitive than ever before. For instance, I did not have to compete with anyone to get admitted to my primary school but my nephew had to take an entrance exam to get enrolled in the same school, and just one in every twelve applicants was successful. Besides, we had plenty of time to enjoy in schools while this is different for today’s young pupils. They attend classes, take extra coaching, go to music and art schools and read many books and all these activities are meant to fulfil their parents’ dream and school’s expectations. Parents want their children to be top scorers in school, math geniuses, as well as great soccer players and renowned artists. The problem is that it is not a rational and practical expectation. Moreover, the commercialisation of products which targets young children is another problem we need to address.
We have to draw a line in our expectations and find out the true potentials of a child rather than pushing them constantly. The state should discourage having an entrance exam in elementary school and have sufficient funds to ensure proper entertainment and sports facilities in academies. Teachers should not pressurize children to do homework every day, and they should try to make school a place to learn in a fun way. Furthermore, social perspectives to prepare every boy or girl to become a doctor, engineer or a higher-wage-earning professional should change.
To conclude, children today are being pushed beyond their limits to achieve academic, social and professional success, and this has unfathomable negative consequences. Parents and teachers should find the hidden talent of a child, not try to make them something they are not meant to be.