In some countries, secondary schools aim to provide general education across a range of subjects. In others, children focus on a narrow range of subjects related to a particular career. Which of these two systems is more appropriate in today’s world?
Secondary school curriculum can be organised in a variety of ways. While several countries adopt the education system which orientates the students in a specific profession, I believe that teenagers should have access to a comprehensive learning program with a wide range of subjects.
To begin with, a learning program providing knowledge of a major subject is beneficial in some ways. Being exposed to expertise and skills required by a certain speciality at the young age, the students would stand a great chance to not only have a well-defined career path but also become competent workers in their later life. For example, with students having the ambition to work as translators or applied language researchers in the future, it is a course of basic grammar and vocabulary at their secondary school that can realize the dream. In addition, a current society of specialization tends to favour employees with a good grounding in a single field over those who have general knowledge but are not experts in a particular area. Therefore, it is absurd to say that such career-driven programs are not appropriate to today’s world.
In stark contrast, however, it is better for teenagers to have access to a curriculum containing basic knowledge of various fields. The final purpose of developing the comprehensive thinking of children should lie at the heart of any secondary school learning program, as they seem to be too young to decide on a specific occupation to follow at that age. An ideal job is one that provides enjoyment for the workers, and it is a well-rounded course that can help children seek a major they are interested in and nurture the passion for it. To illustrate, secondary schools in the UK aim to teach children different subjects ranging from Math to Arts, and their educational philosophy is to put job orientation in the high school curriculum.\
In final words, my opinions are on par with the idea that secondary schoolchildren should be supplied with knowledge in as many fields as possible.
