Some people are of the opinion that it is necessary to let children have decisions on what subjects they are going to learn. In my point of view, this situation has both advantages and disadvantages that should be taken into account to implement in the educational curriculum.
On the one hand, the idea of freely choosing subjects depending on children’s hobbies and desires advocate the freedom right in education in which students are able to pursue fields they have interests. In the past, the governments strictly organized and managed the educational curriculum with an educational program for everyone while there are various types of students with different potentials and situations. In the result, there were problems coming from this kind of program. Firstly, in this program, students had to finish total of academic and non-academic subjects that previously chosen by the governments even those subjects were not useful for them in their careers and they did not want to spend their limited time for them. For instance, a painter does not need to learn how to calculate the quantities of substances in a chemistry reaction which requires a high level of academic knowledge in the chemistry field. Besides, not all of students could adapt with this educational program, some reasons regarding to health, finance, environment could affect on the studying abilities of children. Therefore, it will be more understandable and suitable for children, if they have the right to choose subjects to learn because they can create and control the educational program for their own, depending their abilities without external forces. There will less pressures on children in studying because they have initiatives and attentions for their choices.
On the other hand, some disadvantages in this new program should be significantly considered. When students have the right to decide subjects for their education. It also means that there could be an unbalance in the acquirement of knowledge. For example, students could have a tendency to only choose those subjects that they like and avoid or forget other foundational subjects that also are important and necessary for them. To complete themselves, they need to improve a lot of fields in their life, not only in their major. For instance, there are fundamental knowledge relating to policy, environment and society that is extremely crucial for people. Therefore, it will be dangerous if citizens did not have any awareness and suitable behaviors following rules, which is result from over-biasing favorite subjects.
In conclusion, the freedom in deciding what subjects students want to learn is the beneficial idea. It can contribute to effectively develop potentials of learners. Although, it is essential for the government to impose laws in protecting foundation subjects from over-biasing of students.