You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
To get a good job today, it is more important for children to study mathematics and foreign languages than art and music. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
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
Job opportunities are becoming highly competitive these days. Skills in a foreign language and mathematics keep a person the extra mile ahead of people with knowledge in music and arts. The importance of arts and music cannot be denied in a person’s life but it is evident that for most jobs, a second language and mathematical skills are far more important. That is why I totally agree with the idea that children should focus more on mathematics and a foreign language in academic life than arts subjects unless he wants to become an artist or a musician in professional life.
On one hand, music and arts are important for our personal and social life. However, it can be learned by anybody but everybody cannot become an artist or musician without inherent talent and total dedication beyond academic study. Moreover job market for arts and music is much smaller when compared with technological and science-related occupations. For instance, if a media company requires an artist, they will hire very few artists and their communication and language skills would also be judged. At the same time, lower pay rates in art-related subjects should also be considered while deciding which major a child should take in his academic life.
On the other hand, mathematics is an essential subject that everyone should learn. This subject encourages children to think and improve their brain capacity and memory. Moreover, mathematics is involved and an important part of every job sector these days, including information technology, auto engineering, banking, designing, researching, construction engineering and so on. At the same time, skill in an extra language always increases the opportunity for a job seeker. For example, when a Japanese Construction Company seeks a construction expert for their project, they would definitely prefer the person who knows Japanese among other candidates. Since one of the main objectives of academic lessons is to prepare children for their future careers, mathematics and second language should always get priority.
To conclude, without a doubt learning mathematics and a foreign language signifies the capabilities of children and their future. I am not against teaching school children arts and music but as long as their future career is involved, teaching mathematics and a second language should always give priority.
[Written by – Romesh Rodrigo]