Argumentative Essays 2

1. Single Session School - Advantages and Disadvantages

The single session school programme began as the ideal dream for the Ministry
of Education. Under this programme, school hours will be extended by 110
minutes from the present 340 minutes to 450 minutes, that is from 8.00 am until
3.30pm. So, single session schools here are referred as classes being held in a
school from 8.00 am until 3.30 pm
For one thing, a loud YES for the one session schools will definitely come from
most working parents who feel that their children will be safe and sound under
the eagle-eyed teachers in their own schools. They need not worry about their
sons and daughters loitering in shopping complexes or being involved in social
ills.
Also, as extracurricular activities can be carried out in the afternoons on
weekdays, parents can take a break during weekends. They need not shepherd
their children to schools but instead spend some quality time during weekends
with their children at home.
Moreover, extra classes can be carried out by schoolteachers after school in the
afternoons. Weaker students will be taken care of in the schools by their
teachers through extra coaching. There will also be more time for formal lessons
in schools and core subjects like Mathematics and Science can be given extra
time. In the meantime, extracurricular activities can be carried out effectively on
weekdays and attendance will be better. Students can take part in a variety of
activities as weekends are not conducive for most students.
However, I personally feel that the disadvantages of the single sessionschools
far exceeds its advantages. The government's commitment to provide allchildren
at least nine years of schooling has changed the landscape in which
schoolsoperate. The number of pupils in primary and secondary schools,
especially in urbanareas, has increased tremendously. Nowadays, it is quite
common for schools tohave more than 1,500 students. Indeed, some schools
have to cater to a studentpopulation of more than 2,000.
Consequently, such a state of affairs takes its toll on students, teachers aswell as
parents. It also requires teachers to be present in schools almost the entireday,
leaving them tired and exhausted to make preparations for the next
day'steaching.

Besides, funds have been allocated by the government to build new schoolsand
buildings in the Year 2015 Budget. It is an expensive project on the part of
thegovernment as more schools will mean more teachers will be needed to cater
to thespillover of pupils. There could be possible shortage of teachers in core
subjects,such as in languages, Science and Mathematics.
Moreover, longer hours in schools will tire the students. Also, as mostschool
canteens do not provide quality food, the students will be gorging
themselveswith junk food which is malnutritions for growing children. Also,
extended hours arenot conducive for studies as tired students and teachers
struggle in the swelteringheat. This is so because schools do not have proper
facilities like toilets, bathroomswith showers and rest rooms for students to
wash-up or rest.
In conclusion, I believe that single session schools are more of a bane thana
boon. Its disadvantages far outweigh its advantages.
2. Small families are happier families. Do you agree?
Small families may have only two or three children. They enjoy a lot offacilities
and attention from their parents. But are small families really happier thanbig
families? I do not think so.
In a small family, the children may enjoy greater attention from their
parentscompared to those from a big family. However, a person who comes
from a smallfamily may become overly-dependent on his parents. He will feel
helpless andmiserable once his parents are not around. On the other hand, a
person who comesfrom a big family receives lesser attention from parents as
there are too manychildren in the family for the parents to focus on.
Consequently, those who comefrom a big family will learn to do things for
themselves and become self reliant.Through this process, he gains extra skills,
and his character is moulded.
I do not agree that small families are happier families. If one comes from asmall
family, one does not have much company and can feel lonely at times.
Thisproblem is further aggravated when both parents are working. Conversely,
in a bigfamily, there is much laughter and exchange of news especially during
festiveoccasions.
It is a fact that expenses are lesser in a small family. Thus, there is usuallymuch
leftover in food. There is no need to rush for the bathroom in the morning
too.Those from small families have greater opportunities for overseas study.
However, inlarge families, perhaps only the eldest child or one child alone has
that chance. Whatabout the others? Well, it is common for the working brother

or sister to help pay forthe younger siblings' education. This promotes

cooperation and brotherly or sisterlylove.
Some people say that quarrels occur more often in a big family because
themembers of a large family have to share rooms, beds and even tables.
Siblings mayargue with one another over space but quarrels among brothers and
sisters are verycommon. As long as they make up with each other eventually,
such quarrels arenever serious. In fact, those who never share their things may
grow up to be selfishand unsociable.
In times of emergency, those who come from big families possess a biggroup of
friends to rely on. If one member has a problem, the others can sit down
todiscuss a solution. However, in a small family, only a few people are involved
insolving the problem and so there is a lack of ideas and manpower. Even when
thereare no problems, the more people the better as in the saying, More hands
make lightwork.
In conclusion, small families are not necessarily happier families. It alldepends
on the concern and cooperation amongst the members of the family. Goodand
understanding parents normally create happier families. However, in general,
Ibelieve that big families have many reasons to be happy. Therefore, I do
notagree that small families are happier families.
3. Do you think homework should be abolished?
I personally believe that homework should not be abolished. Homeworkis a
necessary part of school education. Work allocated by schoolteachers
forstudents to be done at home is homework. It is meant to help students revise
whatthey have studied in school. As time allotted for each subject in school is
limited,teachers have to give homework to students to cover the prescribed
syllabus.
Therefore, when a student does homework at home, he or she
worksindependently. The student thinks for himself or herself and makes
decisionsindependently. At school, he or she can always approach his or her
teacher if heor she has doubts. Therefore, homework induces self-study in
students. In theprocess, students learn to do research. Since research requires a
lot of reference,it cultivates the reading habit among students.
Furthermore, through homework, a student cultivates an interest in acertain
subject and can concentrate on it for as long as he or she wants, and he orshe
need not stop when the bell rings, as in school. The student can also do
moreexercises based on the lesson after completing the work assigned for that
day.

Also, homework teaches good discipline. A student learns to workwithin a given

time limit. Whether the student likes it or not, he or she has tocomplete that
piece of work. Hence, the student learns to work within a stipulatedtime frame.
Moreover, homework provides an opportunity for students to acquiremore
knowledge. For example, the History syllabus is so wide that not everythingcan
be grasped by students during the period of time allocated in school.
Studentshave to take some initiative to read on their own. This is one of the
objectives ofhomework.
However, several considerations need to be heeded so that theeffectiveness of
homework need never be doubted. Homework should be evenlydistributed so
that students will not be overburdened on one day and left free onother days.
Homework should never stand in the way of relaxation. Mental relief isvital for
students. Students should not be bogged down with homework that theyhave
little time for physical exercise.4
Taking into consideration the numerous benefits homework has to offer, itis
imperative that it should not be abolished.
4. Tourism is good for our country. What do you think?
Tourism consists of activities of people visiting a place on holiday andproviding
the services to these people. All countries of the world from the developedto the
under-developed, from the first world to the third world have jumped on
thebandwagon to earn as many tourist dollars as possible. Tourism is a big
moneyspinner, from the safari parks in Africa to the ancient historical sites in
China.
However, to some people, tourism is not at all what it looks like. If we
delvedeeper, we may be able to understand why they say we do not need to
depend onthe tourist dollars. Some people say that we can do without the
Western tourists andtheir so-called decadent culture characterised by the
sprouting up of pubs, loungesand other centres of entertainment to cater to their
taste. They also claim that localconsumers and local people lose out in the long
run because the presence of foreigntourists and their money have resulted in
rising prices of food and services offered bylocal vendors. Accusation of
preferential treatment meted out to big-spending touristsare rife but also
justified.
However, if we look at the flip side, tourism is a much needed tonic for
theeconomy of any country for several reasons. Firstly, we cannot look at the
picture ofa few bikini-clad western tourists soaking in the sun on our beaches or
a few drinkersdoing happy hours at a hotel bar and get paranoid. Even without

the physicalpresence of these tourists and their lifestyle, we cannot isolate

ourselves and liveunder the proverbial coconut shell and banish those scenes
from our thoughts andlife. Given this age of satellite television, we have to live
and cope with the presenceof this brand or any other brand of foreign culture,
the money tourism brings in ismuch needed. Besides, recent developments have
shown that we are alsowelcoming tourists from other parts of the world
including Arabians, Japanese andChinese. Hence, we need to look at the bigger
picture; there are other people fromother parts of the world to woo to our
shores.
Secondly, there are limitless prospects for tourism given the natural assetsthat
we have as well as the rich cultural heritage of our country. Natural
attractionssuch as beaches, sand, exotic islands and wondrous underwater sites
and a warmtropical climate are nature-endowed and lasting if we take wellconcerted plan todevelop and display but preserve. Our natural rainforests, our
forest reserves,Taman Negara and the forests of Borneo and our stupendous
caves such as theMulu and our Mount Kinabalu are Nature's gifts which we
should use with tenderloving care. Compared to other sectors such as
agriculture and industrialisationwhich are capital intensive, tourism is viable
and attractive. We have so much interms of cultural and historical legacy to
offer to the tourists after more than 500years of immersion in one cultural wave
after another from the Portuguese to theBritish.
We also have a rich historical legacy in what was formerly the British
StraitsSettlement, Malacca and Penang. This is attracting tourists' interest and it
comes ata small cost-maintenance and preservation. The multi-ethnicity of
Malaysia, with itscultural and culinary diversity is a tourist attraction that comes
by default. Hence,given all the potential, we should focus on tourism.
Tourism is also seen as ideal because tourism gives employment to peopleand
has spawned a host of related activities from the hawker selling 'roti canai' to
theticketing clerk to the hotel bell boy. For the majority who may not be
brilliant in theacademic sense but who have plenty of people skills and the
aptitude and interest towork with people and make people happy, tourism means
jobs. Tourism is also alifeline for the small business and traders selling trinkets,
bric-a-brac and souvenirs,not to mention the host of cottage-based and
handicraft industries such as silverware,batik, songket and pottery.
Therefore, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages and seen from
thisperspective, tourism is here to remain for the simple reason that the
groundwork isthere. We have what it needs for any type of tourism, be it
ecotourism or adventuretourism.
5. Should students be allowed to work? Discuss.

Most parents are keen for their children to find employment once they haveleft
school and many are willing for their children to do casual work while they are
stillat school. Some young people are in full-time work before they are eighteen
but it isnot unusual for children of compulsory school age to be involved in paid
work atsome point. Children may work to earn pocket money or because they
are interestedin a particular activity or career. Sometimes they work because the
family needs helpwith the family business or because it will add to the family's
income. Sometimesparents think it will help their children to be better prepared
for work when they areolder.
Children can be employed in a range of activities, casual, part-time and frilltime work, including in family business, fast food restaurants, supermarkets
andeven in apprenticeships. For most countries generally, there is a minimum
age to beallowed to work but it goes without saying that the key point is that
children are notallowed to be employed outside of school hours if the job they
are doing somehowinterferes with their schoolwork. For example, if a child has
to get up at 4 o'clock inthe morning to help the tapping of rubber or has to work
till 10 o'clock at night servinga parent's restaurant, he would probably be too
tired at school. Most importantly too,children should not be involved in
dangerous work or work that might be harmful totheir health or their physical,
mental, spiritual, moral or social development.C
hildren mature at different rates and ages and have different talents andlevels of
enthusiasm. Parents or guardians need to take these things into accountwhen
deciding whether to allow their children to have an educational and
satisfyingexperience as well as providing them with their own income. It can be
the beginningof important learning about the value of money, time management,
different rules,getting on with others and the expectations of people outside of
school and family.
With an equal balance of work, play, exercise, rest and study commitments,
achild can learn a lot from the experience. Work should not stop a child from
enjoyingbeing a child and developing normally. Work should not become more
important thanschool. Watch to make sure your child is not too tired to do
homework.
However, it is also important to be both clear and in agreement about whatwill
happen with the money received from working. For instance, can he do what
helikes with all the money or only partly? Does he have to bank some? Does he
haveto buy certain things with it? Each family will have different ways of
dealing with this.It may be wise to agree with your child that there should be a
trial period so that bothparents and child can measure the advantages and
disadvantages of working whilestudying.

6. Mobile phones are a nuisance. Do you agree?

Mobile phones have revolutionized the world. Mobile phones
makecommunication easy and efficient. With the growing use of them, both in
businessesand in homes, this technology has become necessary. Without doubt,
mobile phonesoffer many advantages such as added convenience, greater
personal security andincreased communication. However, a mobile phone does
have its share ofdisadvantages.
Mobile phones are an excellent way to remain in touch and summon
help,especially in the event of an emergency. In critical points in times, people
with mobilephones can reach help more easily and faster than those without
mobile phones. Forexamples, victims of an earthquake can use their mobile
phones to call rescuers totell them their location. Here, mobile phones can save
life.
Another reason why it is good to have a mobile phone is that it keeps
childrenonly a phone call away. Teenagers can check with their parents to let
them knowthat they are okay or that they need assistance. In addition, mobile
phones provideconvenience. You can now search the web, check email, watch
television or takepictures with mobile phones.
Although mobile phones offer many advantages, there are somedisadvantages
and risks when using mobile phones. One of the more obvious risksis talking
and driving. Mobile phones usage can make drivers less aware of
theirsurroundings. As a result, drivers are slower to react to potential dangers.
Accidentcan easily happen in seconds.
Another disadvantage of mobile phone usage is the possibility of health
risks.Many people still place their mobile phone close to their head and this can
causedamage to their head and body. Mobile phone usage has been associated
with anumber of illnesses. Signals from devices can actually disrupt parts of the
braininvolving memory and learning. Other studies have shown that mobile
phones causea rise in blood pressure and brain cancer.
Some other disadvantages of mobile phones are more of a nuisance. Peopleare
heard speaking loudly in restaurants, libraries and theatres. They do not care
ofother people who want peace, quiet and are not interested in their
privateconversation. There are students who play games or send SMS with
their mobilephones. They do not pay attention to what the teacher is teaching.
Here, mobilephones disrupt the attention of the students.
Mobile phones have bought new freedom, increase security and peace ofmind.
People feel safer having a mobile phone. In addition, mobile phone

offerconvenience and ease communication. However, with many safety risks

and the riskof an impolite world, many people are questioning the value of
mobile phones.