Prompt: It is often said that the subjects taught in schools are too academic in orientation and that it would be more useful for children to learn about practical matters such as home management, work and interpersonal skills. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The primary purpose of educational institutions is to produce well-versed employees capable of completing their work with efficacy. In this regard, urging schools to focus on the practical aspects of the work at hand is a laudable initiative. Nevertheless, this essay disagrees with this viewpoint because academic knowledge is of paramount importance in Specialty occupations and it helps students to deal with various circumstances in a systemic approach. Ċ To begin with, while some occupations, such as waitressing and barber, necessitate a little academic background, other fields of work such as law or medicine require a profound knowledge of the subject area. In the former situation, the know-how can easily be transmitted from the manager to the trainee. However, in the case of law and medicine, one individual is unlikely to retain such a vast amount of facts which can only be embedded in the books, explaining the years of academic studies which the student must spent before being permitted to practice. In the course of their career, modifications in law or health practices are likely to be common occurrences, requiring continuing education. As such, an academic learning is a must for certain professions. Ċ Furthermore, I personally believe that academic teaching favours the student by adopting a systemic approach which can be replicated across all situations. Practical experience often negatively biases certain students, for instance, a hairdressing trainee may only be tasked with a particular type of haircut since this is the only one demanded by the customers. Through academic teaching, school ensures that the student face all types of situation and document their material in such a way that students can easily review them at their own convenience. Ċ In conclusion, academic knowledge is of paramount importance for speciality occupations and it also provides students with approaches in all situations they may face when enter labour force. Therefore, the opinion that practical skills are more useful than academic ability cannot be supported. This essay argues that theory-based lessons should continue to be appreciated in school settings.