[color=green]“The increasing involvement of businesses in the schools, ranging from the establishment of apprenticeships and grants to the donation of equipment and fascilities, is a cause for concern because this involvement gives the businesses too much influence over school policy and curriculum.”
I cannot agree more. A school, college or university is meant to be a neutral place that provides means of balanced, uniform knowledge. Apparantly, people may think that schools are providing such place to their students. Unfortunately, it is not the case. The involvement of businesses in school policies, legislature, and the school curriculum is overwhelming. I will explicate my point of view below.
To begin with, in past, man in the street might has not noticed this fact, or has just taken it as a minor issue. However today, this effect has amplified, and is showing its alarming impact on every single issue of the school policies. People may genuinely argue that, similar dilemma is being faced in almost all walks of life. The television media policies are inclined by its benefactors. The hospitals and doctors are also influenced by their contributors. But the fact is, suffering of inadequate policies of school administrations, proximately influence the fresh, young minds of our future generations. The outcome can be a quagmire to basic values, traditions, morality and honesty.
Moreover, when public schools recieves funds, the businessmen are less interested in providing advancements and technologies to the schools, and more interested in gaining their specific motives that provides perpetual increase in their businesses. “Better” for the school policies, essentially means “mandating the adoption of higher standards and greater accountability for students, teachers, and schools.” Trading the school policies and legislature for better funding means depriving the school management, students, and parents from debating on better choices and hence depriving the system from democracy. This monopoly increases the dilemma of public schools. The standard of education suffers greatly due to this factor alone.
Critically, differences created among several sectors of schooling, existance of magnet schools, high profile semi private and private schools are all evidence of this biased policy making. If schools staunchly support a common, unbiased legislature, and ensure equal means of education to all students, private businesses will highly suffer. Hence, provision of quality education has become increasingly difficult because of massive hold of business sector in the educational policies.
Also, it is quite absurd that students passing high schools have to prove their skills by means of several so-called standarized tests, to enter colleges and universities. This again is an indication of involvement of businesses in educational sector. By testing students through several standarized tests means that high school examinations are not being trusted. The school management and ofcourse the government should provide means that can ensure the proper standards of examination in high schools, instead of implanting a separate testing requirement to the students.
To conclude, I strongly believe that schools should change their approach towards policy making before it is too late.
TOEFL listening discussions: What is the purpose of this conversation?
