Some people think that because some children find some subjects such as mathematics and philosophy difficult they ought to be optional instead of compulsory. To what extent do you agree?

Our education system consists of a myriad of themes that expand from the sciences to the arts. A proportion of the population believes that tough subjects like mathematics and philosophy should not be made mandatory for young students.

This

topic will discuss the pros and cons of making them obligatory, and why I believe that it should still be made mandatory. Supporters of STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) curriculum would support that challenging themes of philosophy have no use for students who wish to pursue their career in STEM. They argue that if students were to be exposed to

such

challenging topics, they may fail and become demoralised.

Hence

, their grades may affect their future as they will be wrongly penalised for a subject that they have no need to excel in. A study on current STEM professionals show that half of them do not ace their arts electives like philosophy. Rather than adversely affecting eventual prospects, these subjects should not be forced on the child.

However

, many would disagree that these challenging subjects be made electives, as there are advantages to exposing them to our children. By exposing young students to different subjects, they would have a broader understanding of the world, and be able to find their interest early in life. If they were only confined to specific themes as dictated by their parents of teachers, they could lose their potential to be successful mathematicians or philosophers. A recent survey conducted by professionals with mid-career switch showed that 70% of the participants wished they were exposed to a variety of themes in their education as it would have helped them make a better decision in terms of their career choices.

Moreover

, even if these subjects were deemed to be burdensome, a little stress will help the youths exercise their minds and prepare them for the future. Consulting firms conducted a survey on the preparedness of the workforce of millennials, and found that 60% of job hoppers from the group cited reasons like not being able to handle work related stress. If they are constantly sheltered, it may impede their development and our future generation will not be ready in their working lives. Being exposed to challenging subjects has its advantages and disadvantages.

This

essay discussed on both sides of the argument on whether they should be made mandatory, and I fully support that it should as the pros outweigh the cons.