Hwang starts 'education diplomacy'
By Jung Min-ho
Hwang Woo-yeo Education minister
Education Minister Hwang Woo-yeo will begin a one-week trip to Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates, Friday, to seek ways of exporting Korea’s educational programs and technology, the ministry said Thursday.
He will give a keynote speech on Korea’s technology-based learning programs on the opening day of an international educational forum, called Government Summit, scheduled for Feb. 9 to 11 in Dubai. The participants include key educational policymakers from 87 countries, including UAE Education Minister Hussein Ibrahim Al Hammadi.
Hwang will hold a bilateral meeting later with Al Hammadi to discuss issues such as ways to support the UAE’s program to cultivate teachers, utilize technology in education and increase personal exchanges between the two countries.
The Ministry of Education said the strengthened cooperation with the UAE is expected to allow Korea to open interactions with other countries in the Middle East.
“Hwang’s visit to the UAE will be a stepping stone for stronger educational ties with Middle East countries,” the ministry official said. “Hwang also will promote the World Education Forum, which is scheduled to be held in Incheon in May.”
Al Hammadi is known to have a passion for adopting technology in education. Last month, he introduced what is called the “Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Program” to some schools in the UAE. The program aims to encourage students to participate more actively in learning with the aid of technology in the classroom.
Through his speech, Hwang plans to emphasize that Korea’s zeal for education was the force that lifted the nation to be Asia’s fourth largest economy.
Under the theme “Shaping Future Governments,” more than 100 high-profile figures, including United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, World Economic Forum Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab and Queen Rania of Jordan, are expected to attend the event.
Ahead of his trip to Dubai, Hwang will make a two-day visit to Ethiopia from Friday.
Hwang will meet Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen Hassen to advise him about how Korea develops human resources though its education system.
In December, Hassen visited Korea and met education ministry officials to strengthen cooperation. There, he said Korea is the “perfect model country” to learn from.
The Korean education ministry said it plans to send experts to Ethiopia in a few months to help its government improve its education system.
During his visit, Hwang will also meet with presidents of the Addis Ababa Institute of Technology and the Adama Science and Technology University.
The Korean education ministry expects Hwang’s visit will draw more students from Ethiopia and other African countries.
Over the past few years, the number of students from Ethiopia has been on the rise from 33 in 2008 to 208 last year. Meanwhile, a total number of African students increased from 397 to 1,790.
Hwang is also scheduled to meet with Ethiopian Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalegn to thank the country for sending an imperial guard to fight for South Korea during the Korean War.