Improvements in Health, Education and Trade Are Essential For the Development of Poorer Nations - IELTS Essay Band 9 Samples

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Sample Essay 1

Enhancing access to quality healthcare, education, and trade is fundamental to the advancement of developing nations. Given the scale of global inequality and the interconnected nature of progress, it is entirely justified to expect wealthier nations to play a more active role in supporting these improvements. This essay argues that prosperous countries have both the capacity and moral responsibility to contribute to international development, particularly through long-term investment in human capital and fairer global trade systems.

Wealthy nations are uniquely positioned to strengthen the long-term capabilities of developing countries through targeted investment in health and education. These sectors, while foundational, often suffer from chronic underfunding in poorer regions due to weak tax systems and limited institutional capacity. By allocating resources to training local medical staff, improving infrastructure, and supporting educational reforms, rich countries can help build self-reliance rather than perpetuating dependence. A strong example is Norway’s support of maternal health programs in sub-Saharan Africa, which significantly reduced mortality rates and led to broader community development. Such collaborations do not merely offer short-term relief; they enhance national resilience and human capital, which are vital for sustainable growth.

Moreover, equitable trade policies are critical for the economic advancement of less affluent nations, and wealthier countries must revise the structures that currently maintain global inequality. Many developing countries remain trapped in cycles of low-value exports and high-dependency imports, often dictated by unfair trade agreements or restrictive tariffs imposed by richer nations. To truly aid development, wealthier governments must support fairer terms of trade, technology transfers, and capacity building in entrepreneurship. For instance, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has immense potential, but its success relies heavily on global partners offering supportive terms rather than exploitative ones. Thus, moral leadership from advanced economies is not only necessary but strategically beneficial in stabilizing global markets and fostering long-term partnerships.

In conclusion, while internal reforms in developing nations are essential, the responsibility of richer nations is equally significant. Through sustained investment in human development and structural economic reform, they can play a transformative role in reducing global inequality and fostering a more stable, prosperous world.

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Sample Essay 2

Efforts to advance healthcare, education, and trade are undeniably vital for the growth of underdeveloped nations. However, the assertion that affluent countries should bear greater responsibility for these improvements is, in my view, fundamentally flawed. This essay argues that long-term development must stem from within poorer nations themselves and that overreliance on foreign intervention can hinder sustainable progress. These ideas will be explored through the lenses of self-reliance and geopolitical imbalance.

True development cannot be imposed from outside; it must originate from internal reforms, accountability, and locally driven innovation. When poorer countries become reliant on wealthier nations for essential services, it can erode sovereignty, distort national priorities, and create a cycle of dependency. Take the case of Haiti—decades of international aid, while well-intentioned, have done little to foster self-sufficiency, with healthcare and education systems still underperforming due to weak governance and endemic corruption. Instead of foreign aid, what these nations require is institutional strengthening, political stability, and civic empowerment—factors that cannot be exported. Moreover, when development is homegrown, it better reflects cultural contexts, responds to local needs, and is more likely to endure. Outsiders may provide temporary support, but lasting progress hinges on internal capacity and leadership.

Equally concerning is the power imbalance that foreign assistance often entails, which can distort the policy agenda of poorer nations and serve the interests of donors more than recipients. Wealthy countries frequently attach conditions to aid—whether overtly through structural adjustment programs or more subtly through diplomatic leverage—which risks turning development into a geopolitical tool rather than a humanitarian act. For example, infrastructure investments by certain powerful economies in Africa have been accompanied by extractive contracts and political influence, raising concerns about neo-colonialism. In such cases, help becomes a façade for strategic expansion. Moreover, aid does not guarantee outcomes; without proper absorption capacity, funds are frequently misused or misallocated. Rather than calling on the rich to “take more responsibility,” developing nations must assert control over their trajectories, demanding fairer global systems rather than handouts.

In conclusion, while development in poorer nations is crucial, it must be driven by domestic reform and self-determination. External assistance, though sometimes useful, should not replace internal accountability or become a channel for hidden agendas.

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