历史与科学技术的课程地位History or Science and Technology at School?

For as long as there have been schools, people have debated what should be taught in them. Nowadays, with economic troubles creating additional pressure for people, there is a call for school curriculums to include more practical subjects and less of the arts and humanities. This essay will look at both sides of the argument and conclude that subjects like history should continue to be taught. In the modern era, people often clamour for changes to school curriculums and the range of subjects is continuously changing according to social demands. People now ask that their children are taught practical subjects that can help them in their lives, and this is a very reasonable request. In the twenty-first century, science and technology are booming fields and so these areas are important for young people to study in order that they may one day contribute and get a good job. However, to include these subjects at the expense of traditional ones like history is misguided. History is important for a number of reasons. Perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of studying history is that it teaches critical thinking that many people simply do not learn elsewhere in life. It is clear that people who have studied history are able to discern what is and isn’t true far more easily than others. By critically assessing historical sources, they may seem to be learning an arcane skill, but in fact they are learning something that is important in life. Particularly in an era of social media and “fake news,” being able to pick apart truth and lies is increasingly important. In conclusion, history may seem less important than more practical subjects, but the underlying skills taught in this subject are very useful for people in the modern world.