<p class="bodytext">I think high schoolers should be allowed to choose their own subjects as John Dewey, an education philosopher said, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself”. Choice leads to better learning, greater motivation and a strong, reliable future. When students select subjects they genuinely care about, they become active listeners instead of passive listeners. They show up to class with a lot of enthusiasm and spirit, ready to learn. “The mind is not an empty vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled,” said Plutarch.</p>.<p class="bodytext">High school should not be a place where everyone is forced into the same academic mould, but a place where future doctors, astronauts, engineers and artists discover their paths. Amazingly said by Sir Ken Robinson, “Interest is the engine of achievement”, students learn better and engage more in classes of their own choice. High school is a time that should be utilised to an extent where you should not regret the choices you made in the future. If education is meant to prepare students for life, we must start by letting them make the choices that life will demand.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><span class="bold">Shraddha Prasad M, 11<br /></span>Bengaluru, Karnataka</p>.<p>I believe high school students should not be allowed to choose the subjects they learn. In this age, most of us are still figuring out our interests and strengths. If we are given full freedom, many might not choose or avoid challenging subjects like mathematics or science simply because they are difficult. However, these subjects build logical thinking and problem solving skills, and knowledge that will help us in any career. A strong base in all main subjects is important and helps us understand the world better. Learning languages helps us speak and express ourselves, science makes us curious about how things work, and history teaches us where we come from. If we stop learning some subjects too early, we might miss out on opportunities we aren’t even aware of at that age. Teachers and the education department make the syllabus carefully so that we learn everything we need before choosing a career.</p>.<p>As Albert Einstein once said, “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.” This is why it’s better to learn a variety of subjects first and then decide what we really want to focus on. So no, students shouldn’t choose their subjects as a high schooler because freedom without direction isn’t smart but chaos. High school isn’t the time to choose, it’s the time to prepare.</p>.<p><span class="bold"><strong>Prajna Vernekar, 13</strong></span><br />Udupi, Karnataka</p>
<p class="bodytext">I think high schoolers should be allowed to choose their own subjects as John Dewey, an education philosopher said, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself”. Choice leads to better learning, greater motivation and a strong, reliable future. When students select subjects they genuinely care about, they become active listeners instead of passive listeners. They show up to class with a lot of enthusiasm and spirit, ready to learn. “The mind is not an empty vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled,” said Plutarch.</p>.<p class="bodytext">High school should not be a place where everyone is forced into the same academic mould, but a place where future doctors, astronauts, engineers and artists discover their paths. Amazingly said by Sir Ken Robinson, “Interest is the engine of achievement”, students learn better and engage more in classes of their own choice. High school is a time that should be utilised to an extent where you should not regret the choices you made in the future. If education is meant to prepare students for life, we must start by letting them make the choices that life will demand.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><span class="bold">Shraddha Prasad M, 11<br /></span>Bengaluru, Karnataka</p>.<p>I believe high school students should not be allowed to choose the subjects they learn. In this age, most of us are still figuring out our interests and strengths. If we are given full freedom, many might not choose or avoid challenging subjects like mathematics or science simply because they are difficult. However, these subjects build logical thinking and problem solving skills, and knowledge that will help us in any career. A strong base in all main subjects is important and helps us understand the world better. Learning languages helps us speak and express ourselves, science makes us curious about how things work, and history teaches us where we come from. If we stop learning some subjects too early, we might miss out on opportunities we aren’t even aware of at that age. Teachers and the education department make the syllabus carefully so that we learn everything we need before choosing a career.</p>.<p>As Albert Einstein once said, “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.” This is why it’s better to learn a variety of subjects first and then decide what we really want to focus on. So no, students shouldn’t choose their subjects as a high schooler because freedom without direction isn’t smart but chaos. High school isn’t the time to choose, it’s the time to prepare.</p>.<p><span class="bold"><strong>Prajna Vernekar, 13</strong></span><br />Udupi, Karnataka</p>
