“A falling fertility rate is always beneficial to a country.” Discuss this statement.

There are many possible approaches to this question, and each should be marked on its merits.

Fertility rates should be defined, this can be stated or implied.

Benefits could be: reduced costs for schooling, adults can begin to save; less environmental pressure; possible reduction of resource consumption; traditional roles of women changing, increased number of women in the workforce; potential for greater gender empowerment.

Problems could be: aging population; smaller workforce; increased tax burden; reduced market; closure of schools/clinics; need for migrants to boost employment.

Responses should make use of examples.

Responses that focus on describing population policies in some nations and not the consequences of falling fertility rates in that country will be self-limiting as this is not the question. Responses that consider only one side of the argument are unlikely to progress beyond band D. Responses that look at both benefits and problems of a falling fertility rate in a more balanced manner are likely to access bands E and F.

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.