Essay: Should unpaid community work be mandatory in high school (agree/disagree)? | Solved Essays for IELTS PDF Download

Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programs (for example working for a charity, improving the neighborhood or teaching sports to younger children). To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is argued that voluntary services like charity, cleaning the neighborhood, imparting knowledge to the underprivileged, etc. should be made mandatory in the high school curriculum. I strongly agree to this as it not only helps in students becoming socially responsible adults but also in shaping their character.
Firstly, community service inculcates a sense of responsibility towards the society, something that is needed to shape a good society. For instance, the introduction of Swatch Bharath scheme in my school, The Hyderabad Public School, ten years ago taught me not only to keep the surroundings of the school clean but also to never litter wherever I go. Hence, now I feel responsible to maintain cleanliness everywhere. Such services are needed to develop a better society in the future.
Secondly, voluntary services cater to the overall character development of an individual. It inculcates a feeling of empathy in children which is needed to build a better character. For example, an alumnus of Montessori High School, who indulged in petty law-breaking activities during school confessed that it was the charity service that he did in high school; which engraved deep ideas and thoughts in his mind; helped him in becoming a better person for his family and refrained him from committing socially irresponsible acts. Thus, such voluntary activities teach us to value what we have and in turn contributes to our personality development.
That being said, we cannot deny the fact that many students misuse the time allocated for these services by considering it as an excursion to enjoy with friends rather than a learning experience.
In conclusion, although compulsory voluntary community service has its drawbacks, it is still useful in shaping a child as a socially responsible citizen and also in their overall personality development. Therefore, pupils should be encouraged to involve themselves in such activities.