Some people think that attending school should be mandatory for children until they turn 18, while others argue that it should be up to children whether they want to study or quit school at an early age. In my opinion, it must be obligatory for children to go to school until they turn 18, since they are too young and lack decision-making capacity, so they shouldn’t be allowed to make such an important decision. However, forcing children to study may result in anxiety and depression.
On the one hand, some people have the opinion that children lack the capacity to carry out decisions at an early age. Therefore, if they are provided with such an opportunity, they may make a blunder that could cost them their whole life. According to research conducted by British professor Jun Je Lun at the University of Cambridge, only 23% of children will opt out of studying if they are given a choice to study further or leave school.
On the other hand, we cannot neglect that forcing children to school may cause them anxiety and depression. Many children who are forced to go may attempt suicide due to depression, as they take school as a burden to their life. For instance, 1.2% of suicide attempts are reported in schools in Vietnam, which is why every child must study in Vietnam until they turn 18.
Putting all in a nutshell, the gains of compulsory school education, as children are too young to decide what is right or wrong, outweigh the harms like anxiety, depression, and suicidal behavior.