TOEFL iBT Academic Discussion and Writing Primary education or college education?

Question

Do you think the government should prioritize funding for primary education or for college level education?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        What are the advantages of a good primary education?

2.        What are the advantages of subsidizing college level education?

 

☆Hints for Points

Primary education

1.     Spending money on children would benefit the government in the long run because it will narrower the educational gap. Everyone receives the primary education, so it raises the intelligence level of the whole population, who will make good workforce.

 

2.     Good primary education will reduce the number of health and social problems. It will increase the number of children who finish primary education and continue to middle school and higher education. The more educated people are, the less health and social problems they have

 

3.     To find more talents, primary education should be subsidized more. Many people who are as good as any successful people are doing menial jobs because they were not recognized when they were children. They could have contributed to the country if they had received a proper primary education.

 

College education

1.     In developing countries, giving the smartest people an intensive higher education is necessary. This will help produce experts who will build the country as quickly as possible.

 

2.     If the country needs good ideas as soon as possible, it is worth spending more money on college education than it is on primary education. Smart people pay the money back quickly with great inventions and innovations. Thus, it is efficient to support those who have shown the best academic ability.

 

3.     To revolutionize the whole education system, the government should start with the higher education. To build the country and raise the next generations, governments should subsidize universities to help them change their educational concept and put their ideas into practice.

 

 

☆Response for Ideas and Expression

I believe the government should prioritize primary education. As Emily says, a good education during formative years is crucial in that it prepares children well for advanced level education and later life. Primary education must provide children with not only working basic knowledge which will smoothly introduces them into advanced level education but also moral and vision about life and society that will save them from straying from the right path. Also, allocating budget to compulsory education is more egalitarian than doing it to higher education as the former is for all children while the latter is only for good students. All people must be given equal opportunities regardless of their backgrounds such as race, ethnicity, or financial status of their family. Especially for children with any of these disadvantages, meeting a good teacher in a good environment can greatly help them move up the social ladder. This will raise the spirit of the whole population and will benefit the country more than supporting elites, a small percentage of the population. So, the institution for everyone to jump-start their lives must be subsidized more than higher education. (187 words)

 

☆Response plan

Topic Sentence:

Supporting Details:

Conclusion         

Write your response in 10 minutes. Show each other your responses. Write down questions or suggestions to each other’s response.

 

                                               DRAFT