Korean education needs an overhaul
May 23,2015 The Special Session on Korean Education was held at Songdo Convensia Convention
Center on May 20. It began with a photo slide showing postwar devastation. The
hundreds of people in attendance went solemn. Soon, the slide was replaced by
the nightscape of modern Seoul, skyscrapers lining the banks of the Han River.
The hall was filled with applause. The two photos showed how Korea has developed
in six decades. President of Korea Educational Development Institute Baek
Sun-geun said, “The growth could be accomplished through education.”
Korean education was the star of the 90-minute-long session. However,
the reality of schooling in this nation does not allow us to rejoice. U.S.
President Barack Obama has openly praised the educational enthusiasm of Korea a
number of times, but many Koreans feel uncomfortable about this. We are aware of
the dark shadow behind the enthusiasm. The suicide rate of young people in Korea
is substantially higher than the OECD average. In the Program for International
Student Assessment, Korea students rank high in academic achievement but fare
badly in academic interest and self-confidence. To middle school students and
parents, the standard of success is getting admitted to independent private high
schools or science high schools. High school students obsess over college
admission, and college students are busy building their resumes. We all know
creativity is important, but teachers still feed students answers in classrooms,
where no experimentation is allowed. UN Special Rapporteur on the right to
education Kishore Singh was surprised to learn about the situation in Korea and
said schools need to be as welcoming as homes in order to provide a happy,
educational environment to students. An educator attending the event said the
agonizing situation is a unique characteristic of Korean education and that it
should be addressed seriously in the special session.
By the end of the
session, 32-year-old education activist Mun A-young raised his hand to comment.
“It is ridiculous to present such self-praise after spending taxpayers’
money and gathering hundreds of people,” said Mun. “How can we discuss the
future without addressing the grim reality where college students graduate with
debt to pay for tuition?” Many people clapped in support. The grand World
Education Forum ended on May 21, setting an objective of providing quality
education and lifelong learning opportunities to everyone by 2030. At the same
time, the relay of praise for Korean education has ended. Now, we need to face
its problems and reality.
The author is a national news reporter of the
JoongAng Ilbo.
JoongAng Ilbo, May 22, Page 33
by NO JIN-HO 느낀 점 : I think serious education problems in South Korea. Many students have been many cases of abandonment stressed by grade problems. L think students get pain and tired that makes educational problems in Korea must be improved.
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