Topics with sample answers

45. Some people think that formal education should start for children as early 
as possible. While others think that it should not start until 7 years of age. 
 
Discuss both views and give your opinion. 
 
 
 

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Some people have the opinion that the ideal time for children to begin their formal education is 
as soon as possible, others believe that it should not start until they are 7 years old. I believe that 
it is better to not start until they have at least reached the age of 7.  
  
Those who believe in beginning formal education for children early have their reasons. Firstly, 
they believe that the earlier the children start to learn, smarter they will be. This is because they 
will have a head-start over those children who start late. Another reason is that children will 
learn to be independent, motivated and competitive as they aim to get the best scores and to 
complete their homework on their own.   
  
Even after these arguments, I believe starting at age 7 is the right choice. This is because 
overburdening them with study and trying to beat others in the competitive environment simply 
leads to stress. This is not a good thing for very young children, who should be encouraged to 
enjoy their lives and make friends. Also, parents should focus on play-based activities at home, 
which will help them both learn and play and develop cognitive abilities more effectively. For 
example, in countries such as Sweden and Finland children start formal education later and they 
have shown better results than many other countries.  And this is clear evidence of its benefits.  
  
I think that children should not start school until the age of 7 because they can learn more 
through play-based activities than formal education. Formal education at an early age simply 
leads to stress and does not help children achieve higher grades long-term as it builds up 
pressure.