By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter
A survey by the Ministry of Public Administration and Security last year found that 56.6 percent of people in their 20s didn't know what year the Korean War broke out.
Another study by Korea University found that only 62.9 percent of 218 respondents were able to clearly elaborate on why Dokdo ― or Takeshima as maintained by Japan ― was Korean territory.
These "embarrassing" survey results may stem from education policies consistently de-emphasizing national history, especially in high school.
Scholars and history teachers are increasingly voicing their concerns toward policymakers' lack of consideration for history education in high schools.
In December 2009, the authorities approved what they called a "future-oriented education curriculum," the essence of which is to reduce subject courses taken in elementary, middle and high schools. Aimed at alleviating the excessive study burden, the measure will go into effect for the 2011 school year.
Some experts maintain, however, that the revised curriculum undermines the place of some critical courses such as Korean history.
Previously, history, with an emphasis on modern times, was a mandatory course for high school students. The course was taught to link up with that provided in middle schools, which focused on ancient Korean history.
However, the latest revision made last year has placed modern Korean history as an "elective course."
"The revisions could strip altogether the opportunity for students to study Korean history in high school," The Korean Teachers & Education Workers' Union argued in a statement.
Additionally, the revisions call for the abolishment of a separate course on the history of Korean culture.
So far, high school students were obligated to take a Korean history course the first year and then choose whether to study Korean culture during the remainder of their high school years.
Historians are concerned that starting in 2011 the nation could start seeing more students graduating without having taken any courses related to Korean history.
Currently, only around 10 out of 30 students per class choose to study Korean history.
"History education is facing its biggest crisis in modern times," wrote Prof. Cho Gwang of the Korean history department of Korea University, in a recent column. "It is hard to deny that under the 'future-oriented' curriculum, history education has been given much less priority than in past curricula."
There are around 80 elective courses for high school students ― history has now become one of the nine in the social studies division that also includes ethics and philosophy, world geography, world history, politics and economics among others.
"Korean history involves more studying than other subjects in the social studies division, making it difficult for students to get a good grade on the college entrance examination. This is precisely why history has formerly been designated as a mandatory course."
One of the most serious problems with the revision is that it is likely to increase the tendency of high school students to avoid Korean history, which is considered to be one of the most taxing subjects on the college entrance examination.
The number of students choosing to study history for the college entrance examination has consistently been decreasing since 2005, according to the latest survey.
For the examination conducted in November 2009, only 18.2 percent of test takers chose history, the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation found. In 2005, 46.9 percent of test takers took the option.
The education ministry announced the revision in December 2009 after having gathered opinions through 10 public hearings. However, organizations such as the National Institute of Korean History (NIKH) have said that the views of historians were not duly reflected.
Another problem with history education is a lack of professional teachers with quality teaching methods and vision.
It is estimated that only around 50 percent of history teachers actually majored in the subject. The rest majored in sociology, geography or other associated subjects.
Historians warn that undermining history education is an inappropriate policy decision, particularly at a time when youngsters are increasingly becoming ignorant of events that have shaped modern Korea and of age-old historical conflicts with neighbors China and Japan.
jhdo@koreatimes.co.kr
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