In all my years in school, I don't think we were ever told to do community service. I don't know if other schools are doing it and maybe it was just my own school that was somehow different, I can’t really tell. But personally, I think it's actually a good idea to make students know about it early. Like they say, “catch them young”. I feel that If kids are being taught early on the importance of helping others and giving back to the society, it is really going to shape them as they grow.
The only thing I can remember us doing back then in primary and secondary school was being told to come out of class to clean the school compound. We would just pick up dirt that is scattered everywhere, even when we were not the one that littered the floor. So when I think about the whole thing now, I got to know that it was more about keeping the school clean , they are actually teaching us community service. Even though everything was not done outside the school compound , I feel it’s a little act of selfishness. So, I don’t really have the understanding of what community service mean , not until after I left secondary school.
In my university days, the case different. Although community service was not something that was imposed on us, not at all, but there was some groups of students who came together to volunteer for the community. Sometimes we joined hands together to go to any school and give school sandal to those who don’t have, sometimes books and sometimes foods. I joined them a few times and what I liked was that nobody forced us to do it. If anyone wants to be part of the group, they join willingly. Of course it required sacrifice, especially your time and money , but everyone just contributed what they could.
That little experience shows that serving the community is not always about being instructed, but its an act that genuinely come from wanting to help and making a difference even when you don’t have anything to gain from it. That's why I don't think community service should be made compulsory for graduation. I believe that if students are being forced to do it before they collect their certificate, many of them will just do it because of the conditions attached to it, not because they are willing to do it. They’ll see it as a requirement to achieve, just like the way they have to pass their Exams before they graduate.
And honestly, I don't think it's right to deny someone graduation because they did not carry out community service. I believe that the primary reason we go to school is to gain knowledge and develop academically. Yes, learning morals and becoming a useful someone in the society is also important, so we don't go to school just to read books and pass. But there is a big difference between teaching students about helping the importance of helping the society and forcing them to do it.
For me, I believe anyone who truly wants to help others will find a way to do that, they will not even wait for the school to make it a condition for graduation before they’ll do it. I feel that what matters most is helping students understand why it matters and allowing them to develop that sense of responsibility on their own without being forced.
Schools can do it this way, try can organize community service programs, and in that program, they can encourage students to participate and even appreciate those who contribute meaningfully to the society, I believe by doing that, people who sees it might be willing to participate in community services. So Above all, I don't support withholding someone's certificate simply because they did not take part in community services. I feel that being selfless is not something that should be forced, because it’s an act that comes naturally.
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