Some people think that schools should select students according to their academic abilities, while others believe that it is better to have students with different abilities studying together. Discuss both views and state your own opinion.

Many are of the opinion that schools should determine classes according to academic ability and distinguish stronger from weaker

students

. In my opinion, though

this

must be carefully managed, it is a logical proposal. Those who prefer mixed-ability classes argue the wider societal implications. If all the brightest

students

are grouped together,

this

can essentially create a

class

system within schools that may

then

persist later in life. The weaker

students

will become insecure and feel they are being left behind. A student who has been consistently studying in a lower level

class

will have virtually no chance of joining a

class

that has been progressing at a faster pace for years. They are stuck within their group and social mobility becomes virtually impossible.

This

mirrors the

class

divisions that exist in society and puts less privileged

students

who tend to be from vulnerable backgrounds at a sizeable and permanent disadvantage.

However

, allowing

students

to learn with equally capable peers will lead to the best overall progress.

This

applies to both

students

who excel at academics and those who struggle. If a student,

for instance

, cannot master new mathematics but is in a

class

with

students

who learn quickly,

then

they will never grasp the concepts. If the other

students

in the

class

work

similarly

slowly, they may not advance as far but at least they will be able to take the requisite time to understand the math. Naturally,

this

is even more beneficial for more capable

students

. They will be able to work quickly through units and subjects without feeling bored by the pace of the lessons. Over time, their progress will grow exponentially faster as the strongest

students

compete and push each other to new heights of achievement. In conclusion, the distinctions between

students

must be skillfully arranged but any step that makes learning more individualized is positive. The ideal school system enables

students

to work at their own speed.