#generalpaper

Firstly, GP requires students to have a good understanding of the English Language. Given today’s world, English is the most common language, so mastering the language is of paramount importance. Students taking the ‘A’ Level examinations will eventually move on to higher education or work, be it university or otherwise, and will need to communicate with others and carry our tasks in English. Singapore is a small country, so it cannot rely solely on itself to survive. Singaporeans will need to communicate with those abroad in a language that both parties can understand. That language, more common than not, will be English. Data from Ethnologue, a reference publication about languages worldwide, shows that about 15 to 20 percent of the world’s population speak English, which is around 1.1 billion people. Although that may not seem like much, it is the most spoken language in the world. Hence, it is important that students learn how to use the English Language properly, which is a benefit of taking GP.

Secondly, to score well in GP, a good grasp of general knowledge and current affairs is needed. This will ensure students are aware of the world around them and are not staying in their own bubbles, isolated from the world. Learning more about current affairs is also essential in their future jobs, where what they learn will no longer be words on a piece of paper, but things that they need to apply. Without knowledge on current affairs, they may be clueless as to past advancements in their field, slowing them down in their jobs. For example, if a current student wishes to be involved in the foreign affairs of a country by working in an embassy, yet not know about the current US-China Trade Wars and how it affects their country, they will be severely disadvantaged in their job due to their lack of knowledge compared to their peers. Thus, having knowledge on current affairs is indispensable, and GP will be able to improve on students’ knowledge. 

Detractors might argue that it is not necessary for a 17 or 18 year-old student to take GP, since they will still have time to gather knowledge on current affairs when they are in higher education. They also believe the GP takes time away from other content subjects, giving students lesser time for those subjects, making them even more stressed due to time constraints. I agree that GP does require time to study, and that the students can read up more on current affairs when they finish their ‘A’ Levels. However, I do think that GP is not as content-heavy as many other ‘A’ Level subjects, even though there are examples that need to be remembered. Such examples can be simply found on the news or through other media platforms, and can be done during the student’s break time, provided the student has somewhat of an interest in the topic. I also think that knowledge on current affairs is not just about knowing what is happening at the present, but also what has happened in the past. This is why starting at 17 or 18 years-old would be greatly beneficial, rather than starting only when students are in higher education, since they would have more history to catch up on. Therefore, GP is still relevant to students as it provides students with a head-start to current affairs and it can be easier if it is seen more as a break than another subject to study.

In conclusion, I think that GP is necessary in the ‘A’ Level syllabus, since it teaches students how to use the English Language properly, allow them to have a large bank of knowledge on current affairs and give them a head-start into society. Perhaps if it was treated less as a study-able subject, more students would enjoy it and benefit from it, but even with the current format, I believe it is still relevant.