Bo-eun leads the digital content team. She has covered foreign affairs, North Korea, tech, economy and gender issues at The Korea Times. She did a short stint at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where she obtained a new perspective on news production and life. Small sources of joy for her are lounging in the sun, having a good latte and swimming.
High schools to offer joint classes
By Kim Bo-eun
Students at high schools in the capital will be allowed to take classes at other schools in their vicinity, starting in March.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SOME), Monday, when certain schools in districts offer classes for advanced students or classes with only a small number of students, pupils from other schools will be allowed to join them. The plan will apply to regular public high schools that do not specialize in certain subjects.
“It was often the case that regular high schools were unable to provide advanced classes for high achieving students or classes when only a small number of students wished to take them,” said an official. “Therefore the students have had to resort to relevant classes provided by private institutions.”
The measure is aimed at offering students at regular high schools a wider variety of classes that they can take according to their plans for their future careers, as well as prevent them from having to resort to private education.
According to the education office, the details of the number of schools and the respective applicable districts are yet to be determined pending the enforcement of the policy.
Moon Yong-lin, superintendent of the SMOE, pledged to boost regular high schools, which are considered a secondary choice to high schools focusing on foreign languages or science, or schools having autonomy over their curriculum and academic affairs.
The plan will especially benefit students at regular high schools aiming to major in arts or physical education in university, as specialized classes in these subjects have been unavailable to them due to the lack of facilities and teachers.
The system of having students from various schools take classes at other schools is not new.
Hanseong, Inchang and Jungang Girls high schools in Seodaemun, northwestern Seoul, have been holding joint classes for advanced students since 2009. These classes which teach math, science and essay writing, have been held after-school hours or on the weekends. The classes have drawn a positive response.
The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education initiated the joint class system last year, in which five regular high schools have been taking part. It plans to further expand the system to include more schools.