There is a growing trend of children attending vocational schools from the age of 11 or 13 in Europe. While some people are of the view that such schools enable children to learn practical skills that help them get a job, others feel that an academic education is more important. This essay tries to explore the context behind the two schools of thought and tries to frame an ideal solution to it.
There is no doubt that a strong academic education is very important in order to secure the future of children. A strong schooling culture not only instils discipline in children but also helps them to shape their thinking and improves learning ability which is extremely valuable in life. Besides, an elementary knowledge of all subjects is a must in order to compete in this challenging world.
However, we must understand that not all children are academically oriented. It is best to encourage such children to start learning a vocation from an early age in order to prepare them to earn their living. Giving them the early start is important so that they can excel in their field and also they have enough time to explore other options.
In my opinion, schools can provide a perfect blend of both these situations. Introducing vocational subjects like carpentry, fashion designing, automotive courses etc. will allow young minds to discover alternate career options while giving the comfort of a school environment. Specially designed tests can assess the inclination of a student to a particular skill. Besides, the vocation courses can be tailored to fit the requirements of particular students.
There is a growing trend of
children
attending vocational
schools
from the age of 11 or 13 in Europe. While
some
people
are of the view that such
schools
enable
children
to learn practical
skills
that
help
them
get
a job, others feel that an academic education is more
important
. This essay tries to explore the context behind the two
schools
of
thought
and tries to frame an ideal solution to it.
There is no doubt that a strong academic education is
very
important
in order to secure the future of
children
. A strong schooling culture not
only
instils
discipline in
children
but
also
helps
them to shape their thinking and
improves
learning ability which is
extremely
valuable in life.
Besides
, an elementary knowledge of all subjects is a
must
in order to compete in this challenging world.
However
, we
must
understand that not all
children
are
academically
oriented. It is best to encourage such
children
to
start
learning a vocation from an early age in order to prepare them to earn their living. Giving them the early
start
is
important
so
that they can excel in their field and
also
they have
enough
time to explore other options.
In my opinion,
schools
can provide a perfect blend of both these situations. Introducing vocational subjects like carpentry, fashion designing, automotive courses etc. will
allow
young minds to discover alternate career options while giving the comfort of a
school
environment.
Specially
designed
tests
can assess the inclination of a student to a particular
skill
.
Besides
, the vocation courses can
be tailored
to fit the requirements of particular students.