Some people think that secondary school children should study international news as one of the school subjects. Other people think that it is a waste of valuable school time. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
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Some people think secondary school children should study international news as one of the school subjects, while others regard it as a waste of valuable school time. In my view, structured study of international news is a worthwhile part of secondary education because it strengthens global awareness and critical thinking among students.
One strong reason is that international news helps school children understand the interconnected world these secondary students will soon enter. For instance, regular exposure to global current affairs develops geographical knowledge, civic literacy, and the ability to analyse information rather than absorb it uncritically. Studying international conflicts makes topics in the wider curriculum more concrete, so students see how classroom knowledge connects to real global events. In particular, secondary school students who follow current affairs build the media literacy needed to question sources and resist misinformation.
Admittedly, opponents claim that curriculum time is limited and should prioritise core subjects such as mathematics and science instead of international news. This concern is reasonable in examination-focused school systems where every subject competes for teaching hours. However, international news need not become a separate, time-consuming subject, because it can be embedded within existing school subjects such as geography or social studies. Consequently, teachers can weave global awareness into current lessons without weakening academic rigour or reducing preparation for assessments. Furthermore, secondary students who engage with international affairs often become more motivated, since the knowledge feels relevant to their own education.
Ultimately, teaching international news to secondary school children is not a waste of valuable time when it is carefully planned within the curriculum. By integrating global current affairs into existing school subjects, educators can broaden students' perspectives and still maintain high academic standards. For these reasons, international news deserves a place in secondary education rather than dismissal as a distraction.
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