sample_education_and_other_funcitons

Question:

Some people think the university education is to prepare students for employment. Others think it has other functions. Discuss and say what other functions that you think it should have.

Sample:

As college graduates in China have more and more difficulty in finding jobs, a large number of people have begun to question the efficiency of university education and suggested that higher education should take a more employment-oriented role and be more attuned to the job market. Nevertheless, many others insist that university education ought to serve other important functions as well. I will discuss both perspectives and give my opinion on the college education.

Proponents of the former view believe that an employment-oriented university education meets the demand of social and economic development. As the society has entered the information age and commercialization is sweeping across the world, the knowledge of science of technology has become more crucial than ever before. However, some traditional courses such as history and geology can not be transformed into productivity and wealth direcly, making graudates from these courses difficult to find employment in the job market.

On the other hand, opponents of the former view hold that universities, rather than vocational schools, should offer an opportunity for personal growth and intellectual development as well. In the first place, Students learn essential social skills in universities, such as team working skills and inter-personal skills. With these skills, students can better prepare themselves for the future as fully independent adults. These skills are fundamental elements in personal growth of an individual. In the second place, students learn arts and literature in

universities. Therefore, they can better understand who they are and what they are expected to do in society. More importantly, students learn critical thinking skills, which are the means to analyze multifarious problems and issues in real life.

In my opinion, universities should teach students technical and vocational skills to prepare their students for futural employment. But it is far from enough. Universities should also take responsibility for personal growth and intellectual development of their students. Thus, students can be better prepared to meet the futural challenges in real life.