importance of speaking skill

What is the importance of learning to speak english for non native learners? Is it not appropriate to train them only in reading and writing? because everyone of them don`t get ample chances of meeting native speakers or visiting foreign countries. What is the opinion of ELT experts in this regard?

All skills are equally important more so speaking skill as you have to communiate with people in person at your job and in your normal life. If people are being trained in reading, writing and listening they are being prepared for speaking as well. You can not speak unless you are exposed to a great amount of language. It is only possible through sheer listening and reading and then writing to some extent. All skills are interconnected.

I wouldn't recommend it, though of course you're free to do whatever you want. It seems to me that learning to read and write English would be almost as much work as learning how to speak as well, and would be much less useful. If students are looking at this from a purely business point of view, learning with this method would mean that you couldn't write that you speak Engish on your resume.