Gre analytical Writing issue essay Topic 101

GRE Analytical Writing ISSUE Essay Topic - 179 
"All students should be required to take at least one course in ethics, even if taking the course 
means a decreased emphasis on academic subjects." 
GRE AWA Analytical Writing ISSUE Essay Sample 
Solution - 179 
For a healthy society it is very important that the people develop an ethical attitude. It is only 
when people have an understanding of what is good and what is bad that the society can be free 
of evils. Ethics are not only required for a better society but also at an individual level. It is the 
ethics of a person that help in his positive growth and make him socially acceptable. I agree with 
the statement that students should be given a course in ethics. At the same time, I would like to 
point out that it need not require shifting their attention from academic subjects. Academics 
subjects have their own importance and this should not be ignored. I believe that both, ethical 
education as well as academic training should go hand in hand by giving due importance to both 
disciplines. 
The main purpose of education is all-around development of a child's personality. Education 
aims at the personal development of a child so that he grows up to be independent and well 
adjusted in the society. That is why education should seek an all around development by keeping 
in mind ethical development along with cognitive development of a child's personality. This 
knowledge not only helps him at a personal level but also helps to progress professionally. 
At a personal level, the ethics of a person restrict him from getting into unlawful activities like 
promoting drugs, blackmailing, harming public property etc. When a student is given education, 
he should also be told to make good use of his knowledge. A society can be free of evils only if 
all people know their ethical limits and these limits guide their behavior. 
The knowledge of ethics also goes a long way in the professional development of a person. 
Ethics are the basis of every profession, be it a teacher, a doctor, an engineer, a scientist or a 
politician. It is the ethics followed in a profession that guarantee a clean record of an employee, 
which helps in his progress. For example, a teacher is guided by his ethics when he is fair to all 
students. He must not resort to practices like leaking the test papers or giving marks to 
undeserving students. On the other hand, if he is involved in such unethical activities, he will 
soon see his own downfall. Similarly, a political leader should keep his words and not make false 
promises to his followers. He should work towards fulfilling his promises instead of personal 
gains. Public servants should extend help in every possible way to the citizens rather than use the 
government facilities for their own personal benefits. It is the code of ethics that guide the 
politician to perform his duties well. 
However, I would like to add that academic subjects are also extremely important. The 
curriculum of education is decided by keeping in mind all the important things that a student 

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must know. Therefore, it should not be ignored at any cost. However, I believe that there is 
enough scope to add a course of ethics along with the general academic courses. Moreover, I 
would like to add that ethical education is a continuous education that begins from the day a 
child enters school to the time he completes his education. He not only learns to behave from 
courses on ethics, but a child learns a lot more by observing the way his elders and teachers 
behave. Therefore, along with introducing a course, ethics should be imbibed in the child's nature 
throughout his education. 
Conclusively, I would like to say that ethical education is very important for students, which can 
be taught by setting examples for the child as well as by introducing a course in it. However, 
academic subjects are equally important and the focus on academics should not be decreased. 

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