You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some people believe that it is important for young children to go to school as soon as possible. Others, however, believe that children should be allowed to stay at home and play until they are six or seven years old. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Why?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer: [Children should stay home and play until they are six or seven]
There has been a colossal upsurge in prodigies discussing the topic of appropriate school-going age for children. While many of them believe that toddlers should start school as early as possible, others think that they should stay home until they turn six or seven. I, wholeheartedly, agree with the latter view.
Many parents want their infants to join a school early, sometimes at 4 or 5 years old, so that they learn the fundamental things as soon as possible. Undoubtedly, this is the age when a child’s cognitive development occurs at a full pace, and schools are expected to provide them ample opportunities to learn and grab new things as compared to home. In schools, these young children will learn important subjects like “Mathematics” or “English” as well as other essential behaviours and ethical aspects. It will help in shaping their future.
On the flip side, children till the age of six or seven should spend time with their parents at home as they learn what they see, play with, or observe. In other words, they cannot distinguish between good and bad habits, and can be misguided easily at school by peers. In addition to this, pressure in schools may restrict their ability to play freely and learn from their surroundings. Schools are often accused of restricting freedom and following strict rules which is not a positive way of teaching young children. A recent survey in Washington has revealed that many school education policies put too much emphasis on formal learning and rob children of their creative abilities.
To recapitulate, despite some benefits of starting school early, I think infants should not be sent to school until the age of six or seven to protect them from learning bad habits, while also providing them with more independence to cherish their childhood and learn naturally.
[Written by – Deepak]