DB: Some people think the main purpose of education is to make individuals useful to society; others say education helps them to achieve personal ambitions. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Brainstorm:
a. Body 1:
- Education: main function - a tool for learners to achieve their personal dream.
+ open pathways to new opportunities, both occupational and social.
+ Ex: Nguyen Ngoc Ki - a teacher
- Flawed: knowledge and experience - gained in the process of education
-> misused due to citizens' negative ambitions
-> have detrimental impacts on individuals themselves and society as a whole
b. Body 2: Make individuals useful to society
- Education helps citizens make contribution to the economy
+ provide students with knowledge (all fields) necessary for working
-> competence and proficiency to meet the demands of employers
-> contributing factor: boost economic growth of the country
- Education directs individuals towards moral behavior:
+ Through: civic classes + relationship among friends and between students and teachers
-> understand etiquette and moral standards
-> deter individuals from becoming badly-mannered and even nefarious
-> precursor to a close-knit and healthy community
My essay:
It is widely believed that the chief aim of education is to provide learners with opportunities to achieve their personal dreams. While this is valid to a certain extent, I strongly argue that educating citizens is mainly devoted to the development of society.
The notion that helping individuals to fulfill their personal ambition is the main function of education is largely justifiable. The key rationale in favor of this view is that education can open pathways to new opportunities, both occupational and social which students are in search of. Nguyen Ngoc Ki perfectly exemplifies this. Born handicapped, he still nourished the dream of becoming a prominent teacher. He later achieved this ambition thanks to the education he received, and he therefore became a role model for thousands of Vietnamese. However, this thinking is flawed, since the knowledge and experience learners gain in the process of education can be misused due to citizens' neglect of morality and conscience. This can have detrimental impacts on individuals themselves and society as a whole.
I side with those who believe that education mainly focuses on helping citizens make contribution, both economically and socially to society. Regarding the economic side, education provides students with knowledge of all fields varying from science to economics which is necessary for working. By this way, individuals can acquire the competence and proficiency needed to meet the demands of the job, and their working abilities are a contributing factor in the boost of economic growth of the country. Moreover, education directs individuals towards moral behavior. Through civic classes and relationships among friends and between students and teachers that learners experience, they can acquire a comprehensive understanding of etiquette and moral standards. This may deter individuals from becoming badly-mannered and even nefarious, which would act as a precursor to a close-knit and healthy community.
In conclusion, while there are reasons to advocate the view that education concentrates on giving individuals personal satisfaction, I contend that its main purpose is to make citizens useful to society.
