Some people think that the government is wasting money on the arts and this money could be better spent elsewhere. To what extent do you agree or disagree

Lately, the Government has been spending a large portion of the federal budget on art programs and grants. The criticism is that the same amount can be put to much better use in other sectors. I somewhat agree with the critics. In a country where healthcare, education and banking systems are lacking, it is essential we put our monies to develop these core sectors.

Firstly

, our current public health facilities are not up to international standards. There must be a significant focus on recruiting quality doctors, installing world-class medical equipment and conducting research on chronic diseases.

Secondly

, our education system isn'

t

the most comprehensive. The current national curriculum hasn'

t

been revised in two decades and

hence

isn'

t

very relevant.

For instance

, the curriculum does not cover the world of Blockchain.

Last

but not the least, our Banking infrastructure is outdated and cannot match the digital age in which other countries operate.

For example

: May consumer banks still do not have a mobile application. The Government must use the available funds to deploy technology to federal banking systems. While spending on Art is a great form of investment, it isn'

t

nearly half as important as the core industries in the economy. To conclude, I believe that the current spending on Arts & Culture is not justified and the Authorities must reconsider and distribute the monies to the core sectors with a small allocation to Arts.