Schools should focus on academic success and passing examinations. Skills such as cookery, dressmaking and woodwork should not be taught at school as it is better to learn these from family and friends. To that extent do you agree or disagree?

Many people think that schools should only focus on teaching academic

subjects

and preparing students for formal exams. I completely disagree and would argue that practical life

skills

should be taught as well.

First,

it is a misconception that teaching strategies should be limited to a narrow focus on academic

subjects

and test success. It is not possible for every student to have a great career with fantastic job opportunities in fields

such

as Finance, Medicine, Law or Education. All of these require academic

skills

but the job market in these fields is relatively small. Students who fail their exams might feel like failures, and these negative feelings inevitably shape a child's personality and values during the formative years. Only a few students who excel in academic

subjects

will enjoy the material benefits of their success.

Second,

when

children

need to learn practical

skills

, they may not have their family or friends who can help them out. There are

also

many dysfunctional families where, for whatever reason, the parental involvement in raising their

children

is almost non-existent.

Nevertheless

,

children

need to learn those domestic

skills

, and for many of them, school is the only place to do so.

Otherwise

, as they enter adulthood, they will have to rely on expensive pre-made meals or buy new clothes and furniture, when all they really need is a simple repair. In conclusion, I totally disagree with an educational policy which focuses only on academic

subjects

and exam success. Schools must place equal value on life

skills

to ensure the full development of

children

.