You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes (for example working for a charity, improving the neighbourhood or teaching sports to younger children).
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
High school programmes teach students a variety of valuable knowledge and skills, both in the classroom and through guided discovery tasks. However, the subjects and abilities which are taught only cover a narrow range of skills, and thus do not produce high school graduates with a well-rounded skill set. Adding unpaid community service to the curriculum would be beneficial not only to local communities, but also to the students themselves.
The first benefit of students performing community service is that it makes teenagers more active in their local communities. They have a great deal to contribute to society, for example by helping the elderly to meet their social needs, or educating primary school children. However, under current systems in which teenagers are completely focused on academic study, their potential remains unused. By introducing mandatory community service in high school, teenagers can become more involved and included in their local communities.
Community service would also provide valuable work experience that can teach high school students useful skills that they do not learn in school. Working for charities or teaching younger children would give teenagers a greater degree of trust and responsibility. These skills are essential for the world of work, and would prepare the students to become responsible adults. It would also teach them useful communication and cooperation skills. As a result, adding community service to the high school curriculum would help to build a generation that is better prepared to enter the workforce as adults.
In conclusion, making high school students perform unpaid community service is an excellent idea, and this policy should definitely be adopted. Communities would be greatly strengthened and it would allow teenagers to make a meaningful contribution to society, and it would teach students a range of useful and valuable skills for the future.
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