You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some people say that education system is the only critical factor to the development of a country. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer 1:
Without any doubt, education is the key to development for a nation and only a well-educated nation could thrive for excellence and ultimate development. However, when the discussion topic is whether education system is the only critical issue for the development of a country, I quite disagree with this view. I personally believe that citizens’ skill development, increasing export, international relationship, better life standard, better utilisation of internal resources, technological development are other important and critical factors which must be combined with the educational system of a country for its true and sustainable development.
First of all, education is considered to be the backbone of a nation and it is quite obvious that education system of a country has an immense role in the overall development of a country. Most of the developed countries have well-educated citizens and exemplary education system – which represents the importance of education system for the development of a county. However, there are countries like Sri Lanka with an educated nation and better education facilities and still suffering from poverty and struggling to become a developed nation. This indicates that education system could never be the only consideration for development.
Second, only better GDP and revenue reserve cannot be the true indicators of the development. Overall life standard, healthcare facility, safety, freedom of speech and thoughts, sustainable economic growth and a healthy environment are also important for a country to become a developed one. For instance, many middle-eastern countries have a huge reserve of foreign currency and source of national income and yet their citizens suffer from war, chaos and they have little freedom of thoughts. Such a nation might have a very strong economy and superior education system, but peace is absent there. Thus I do not recognise them as developed countries.
Japan, does not have a strong educational system comparing with many other European countries and yet they are one of the richest and most developed countries in the world. They have properly utilised their possibility, national resources and have maintained a better global trade relationship. This country is a prime example of how skilled and hard working citizens can help improve their nation.
Finally, many Asian countries have gained prominent economic growth in the last few years by adopting latest technology and they are soon going to be developed countries. They, no doubt, have improved their educational system over the period but they have not relied on this single factor. Increasing export, international relationship, better leadership and democratic government are some other crucial factor for many other countries to be promoted as a developed country.
In conclusion, I believe that a better education system, along with skilled population, better leadership, international trade and relationship, better lifestyle, freedom of speech, technological development, enhanced export and utilisation of internal resources can make sure the development of a nation, not alone.
Sample Answer 2:
Nowadays, many people give much more focus on how to create the better education system in order to ensure the country’s development. A majority of people believe that the education system is the only essential method for that, however, I do disagree with that statement.
First and foremost, even the best education system could be useless if many people still live in the poor condition. They have to work hard to continue their life consequently they prefer avoiding the education because time spent in schools could be used to earn money. Subsequently, the education system will not increase significantly like the prediction of the people. If a country fails to ensure enough job opportunities, an educated future generation will make much more problems than predicted since neither will they get involved in works like irrigation nor will be able to manage a suitable job.
Furthermore, development of a country would probably be achieved slightly by tackling the urgent factors like famine and health care issues. Those factors are more crucial than the education system. The excellent intelligence which we have gotten through education will be of no importance if we are in unhealthy. Nutrition, sports facilities and vocational training are thus more important in this scenario.
Developed countries like the USA, the UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan have more educated citizens than that of underdeveloped countries. However, they can nowadays ensure proper education system only because they had been able to ensure basic human needs properly first. Countries like Sri Lanka and many others have higher education rate than many developed countries and yet they failed to become affluent nations. Thus, before people go too far to focus on th education system, they should have covered all of the fundamentals first.
In conclusion, education system, no doubt, is a very important factor for the overall development of a nation but this is not the only factor for the development. Many other important aspects must be considered and implemented for the real development in a county.
[Written by – Melina Dewi Lukman ]
Sample Answer 3:
Many people believe that education is the most important factor for a country’s development. I personally agree that education is one of the most important components for the growth of any country, but there are other crucial factors that should be considered by the government and the people. The following paragraphs will explain in details about both views and will show my position on this issue.
On the one hand, it is true that education plays an important role in the progress of a nation. As more and more people become educated, common society issues will soon be decreasing. For example, in the past, the percentage of illiterate people in China was around 50%. Consequently, many of the people were living in poverty as most of their occupation were low skill workers with low incomes. But then the government realised these inconvenient conditions and tried to develop the education system. Some of the programs were giving free educations for the children and providing scholarships for scientists and engineers. As a result, the country has experienced a significant increase in the economic sectors, and now China plays a significant role in the world economy.
On the other hand, there are other factors that should be improved and one of them would be health. Countries that have a good healthcare system will have healthier residents which affect the productivity of the labours. Another crucial factor would be technology as it plays a significant role in the development of a country in this modern era. For example, agricultural countries that use technology for their farming activities will be more productive than the old fashioned ones. As they use tools such as tractors and bulldozers, they will be faster in planting and cultivating their lands compared to the traditional ones.
In conclusion, I disagree if education is the only factor that would develop a nation. I do believe that education plays an important role in the development of a country, but there are other factors that should be considered by the government as well, such as health and technology.
[Written by – Darwin Lesmana ]