Writing guide

It is sometimes argued that the entire financial burden of a university education should fall on students themselves. I strongly disagree with this view, as heavily subsidised higher education benefits society as a whole and protects equality of opportunity.

The first reason for my position is that a well-educated population is a public good, not merely a private advantage. Graduates become the doctors, engineers and teachers on whom everyone depends, and the taxes they later pay far exceed the cost of their tuition. When Germany abolished tuition fees, for instance, it did so precisely because it viewed skilled graduates as an investment in national prosperity rather than a personal luxury. Requiring students to pay the full cost ignores this collective return.

A second, equally important reason is that full fees would entrench social inequality. If a degree cost tens of thousands of dollars up front, talented students from low-income families would be deterred from applying, while wealthier but less able peers took their places. This is not only unjust to the individuals concerned but also wasteful for the economy, which loses the potential of its brightest citizens. Partial public funding keeps the door to higher education open on the basis of ability rather than wealth.

In conclusion, although students clearly gain personally from their studies, I firmly believe they should not bear the full cost. The wider social and economic benefits of an educated population, together with the need to preserve equal access, make a compelling case for continued public investment in universities.

Opinions differ as to whether formal schooling should begin in early childhood or be delayed until children are older. While there are clear benefits to an early start, I ultimately side with those who favour a later beginning, as young children learn best through play.

Those who advocate starting school early point to the developmental advantages of structured learning. In their view, exposing children to literacy and numeracy as soon as possible gives them a head start that compounds over time, and the routine of school helps them acquire discipline and social skills. Countries such as the United Kingdom, where children begin at four, reflect this belief in early academic foundations.

On the other hand, a growing body of evidence suggests that pushing formal instruction too early can be counter-productive. Very young children develop language, creativity and emotional resilience most effectively through unstructured play rather than desk-based lessons. Finland, whose pupils do not start school until seven yet consistently rank among the world's best readers, demonstrates that a later, play-centred start does no harm and may even help. Forcing formal study prematurely risks stress and a loss of natural curiosity.

In conclusion, although an early start offers a foundation in basic skills, I believe the evidence favours delaying formal schooling. Allowing children the time to learn through play builds the curiosity and confidence that underpin all later academic success, which is why I consider the later-start approach the wiser one.

The line graph illustrates how many tourists, measured in thousands, travelled to a Caribbean island each year over an eight-year period from 2010 to 2017, distinguishing between those staying on the island and those staying on cruise ships.

Overall, total visitor numbers rose substantially across the period. While the number of tourists staying on the island remained comparatively stable, the sharp growth in cruise-ship visitors was the main driver of this overall increase, and by the end of the period cruise passengers had overtaken those staying on land.

In 2010, roughly 1.5 million tourists stayed on the island, compared with just 0.25 million on cruise ships. Island visitors climbed gently to a peak of about 1.5 million in 2015 before dipping slightly to 1.4 million in 2017.

Cruise-ship numbers, by contrast, surged from 0.25 million in 2010 to around 2 million in 2017 — an eightfold rise. The two figures converged in 2016, after which cruise visitors clearly predominated.