Families Who Send Their Children to Private Schools- IELTS Writing Task 2

Families who send their children to private schools should not be required to pay taxes that support the state education system. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Outline

Essay Type

Opinion essay

Introduction

Sentences 1&2 – There has been a rising trend in the tendency of families to opt for private schooling with regard to their children as opposed to education supported by the government. This has led some to suggest that families opting for privately-funded education should be absolved of their duty to pay tax for state education.

Sentence 3 – However, I disagree with this statement and will be explaining my reasons as to why I think so.

Body Paragraphs

Paragraph 1 – Families who opt for private education do so of their own accord.

Paragraph 2 – Maintaining different taxation rules would confuse and anger the population.

Paragraph 3 – Some families might consider it a burden to pay for a service they do not make use of.

Conclusion

Restate the opinion.

Sample Essay

There has been a rising trend in the tendency of families to opt for private schooling with regard to their children as opposed to education supported by the government. This has led some to suggest that families opting for privately-funded education should be absolved of their duty to pay tax for state education. However, I disagree with this statement and will be explaining my reasons as to why I think so.

Firstly, it must be mentioned that the policy of state-funded education was introduced with the notion of making education accessible to all. However, families who decide on privately educating their children do not avail of state-sponsored educational facilities of their own accord and willingly shoulder the high costs of private schooling. From a financial perspective, such people are reasonably affluent and would rank among the upper echelons of taxpayers. Further, without their significant contributions, the government would struggle to manage public education and as a result, the state-sponsored schools would suffer.

Paying taxes is the collective responsibility of every citizen, and making exceptions would have an adverse impact on the numerous public services provided by the government. Moreover, maintaining different taxes based on whether people send their children to private or public schools would create confusion and cause outrage among the general public. Lastly, paying taxes and investing in education ensures a bright future for the country and contributes to long-term economic prosperity, which would be favourable for the population as a whole.

However, the opposing argument to the points mentioned earlier would be that some families opting for private education might view paying taxes for a service they do not utilise to be a financial encumbrance. Secondly, the abject conditions of many government schools and other state-funded facilities have convinced some people that their taxes would be misused in the hands of the authorities.

To sum up, I would strongly recommend that all families should pay taxes regardless of whether they send their children to a private school or a state-funded one. Education is a universal right, and everyone should do their bit to make it accessible and affordable, which would allow the country to continue prospering.

Vocabulary

• Absolve

Meaning – exempt
Example – Even though her term as president had expired, it did not absolve her from the responsibility of planning and carrying out the club events.

• Notion

Meaning – a belief or opinion
Example – It seemed that they held some rather peculiar notions about aliens.

• Avail

Meaning – make use of
Example – He availed himself of the books belonging to former students that were left in the library.

• Accord

Meaning – volition or will
Example – Tristan would have to retire of his own accord that night, as he had grown tired on the journey.

• Echelon

Meaning – rank or a level in a hierarchy
Example – The Petkoffs belonged to the upper echelons of Bulgarian society.

• Outrage

Meaning – to cause great anger
Example – When the results of the election were declared, the outcome sparked widespread outrage among people.

• Collective

Meaning – characteristic of a group
Example – It was the collective responsibility of the students to ensure that the classroom remained in order.

• Ensure

Meaning – promise or guarantee
Example – Saving up money will ensure that your future remains financially secure.

• Encumbrance

Meaning – burden or impediment
Example – His lack of finances was an encumbrance for him.

• Abject

Meaning – dismal or poor
Example – Upon walking inside, she noticed that the house was in an abject state of disrepair.