24 July 2021, IELTS Exam, Writing Task 2, Evening Slot, INDIA

24 July 2021, IELTS Exam, Writing Task 2, Evening Slot, INDIA

Q. Schools are no longer needed because children can find so much information on the internet and study at home. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this essay?

Since there is a wealth of information available on the Internet, students can study independently at home as effectively as at school; and therefore some people feel that schools are no longer needed. In my opinion, while I agree that students can study well at home using the Internet, I believe that schools play a crucial role in our society and cannot be replaced by anything else.

There are ways for children to learn on the Internet, most of which are free or affordable to almost everyone. A great way is to use online newspapers and video websites such as National History and YouTube, which offer a variety of topics suitable for people of different ages. Children can learn a lot of knowledge about culture, science and many other fields which are taught to them in schools. In addition, they can participate in online courses favored by an increasing number of young people these days. This type of learning is even more beneficial in that children can flexibly choose to study subjects that interest them.

At the same time, I am convinced that formal education is irreplaceable in any society. It is true that students can very easily learn at home using the Internet; however, the lack of teacher guidance and peer support is a clear disadvantage of this form of education. These factors are extremely important for a child's intellectual development, which underlines the need for a school environment. Moreover, from formal education, one can expect not only knowledge and skills, but also social relations and mental development. Children who go to school and make friendships can have fun and improve their learning outcomes.

To conclude, the Internet is a good way for young children to study at home, but I think that the claims that schools are not related to children's education are simply absurd.