I think personally, I have to say, that to require training in using a manual transmission is an excellent idea. Someone who knows how to drive a manual car can very easily drive an automatic, but the opposite is not true - if you've never driven a manual car you can't just get into one and drive away, and until you learn how to use the clutch properly (which takes hours of practice) you're a danger to other road users.
Just my personal view, of course
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