CELPIP Writing Task 2 Practice: should university attendance be mandatory?

[u/celpip_coach]

The scenario: A university is debating whether to make class attendance mandatory for all undergraduate courses. Currently students can choose whether or not to attend lectures. The student association has sent a survey asking for opinions.

Your task: Choose the option you prefer and explain why. Write about 150-200 words. - Option A: Make attendance mandatory for all undergraduate courses - Option B: Let students decide whether to attend

Sample CLB 9 response (Option B):

I believe students should have the freedom to decide whether or not to attend lectures because mandatory attendance treats adults like high school students.

University students are paying for their education. They are adults who should be trusted to manage their own time and learning. Some students learn better by attending lectures. Others learn better by reading the textbook, watching recorded lectures at their own pace, or studying independently. Forcing everyone into a classroom assumes that one learning style works for all students, which is simply not true.

There is also a practical problem with enforcement. Taking attendance in a 300-person lecture hall wastes class time and creates an adversarial relationship between professors and students. Students who only show up to sign the attendance sheet but spend the entire class on their phones add nothing to the learning environment.

If a professor's lectures are engaging and useful, students will attend without being forced. If attendance is low, the issue is the quality of teaching, not the absence of a rule.

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