One school of thought holds that due to the tremendous pressures to perform well in academics among young learners, non-academic courses should be eliminated to enhance students’ main focus on intellectual subjects. In my opinion, I strongly disagree that the needs for non-academic skills no longer remain fundamental for children’s learning.
Firstly, the principal proposal in favour of non-academic courses is that it places a vital role for young learners’ interpersonal development, which will inarguably serve them well in the future. Particularly, being exposed in soft-skill classrooms such as arts, music, or cookery can help students to bond with each other through interacting and team working. Furthermore, these subjects also provide children with opportunities to discover their hidden talents outside of traditional academics. Take Ronaldo, one of the most successful footballers of all time, as an example; he had spent most of his childhood training in the field of soccer, which is considered the least important subject in school and yet he still acquired success in life. Therefore, non-academic subjects like Arts and Dance are equally essential as the academic ones such as Mathematics or Science and thus should not be undervalued.
Secondly, solely concentrating on academic courses might lead to mental issues among young learners since the lack of physical activities and relaxation. While academic courses draw students’ main focus on numbers and solving problems, non scholastic activities expose them to a more relaxing environment where they can develop their well-being and enhance their concentration on other subjects. For instance, not everyone is academically intelligent, thus forcing them to perform well in those fields will inevitably lead to anxiety and stress. Extra-curricular such as physical education is designed to be as a stress reliever for it offers younger individuals a chance to unwind and recharge after a long period of working on numbers and literature terms.
In conclusion, even though non-academic courses have been underestimated in contemporary society due to the exorbitant pressure on academic success, their existence in school syllabus still remains as necessary. I believe that maintaining a traditional rounded curriculum will promote students’ well-being and enhance their pursuit of academic excellence at the same time.