By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
A ruling party lawmaker plans to submit a bill soon to strip elite high schools of the discretion to select high-performing students, drawing a backlash from school authorities.
Rep. Chung Doo-un of the Grand National Party (GNP) wants it to be a requirement for foreign language high schools to randomly choose students among applicants whose average academic records in middle school are within the top 50 percent.
This indicates that 30 foreign-language high schools nationwide will no longer be considered as the gateway to prestigious universities if the measure is approved, because students with a GPA (grade point average) within half of their peers will be eligible to go to the institutions.
Currently, they receive applications and only select students displaying great academic records and language fluency.
The chances of the bill getting the nod from Chung's fellow lawmakers remain uncertain as it has already sparked a controversy.
Headmasters of foreign-language high schools opposed Chung's plan as they will be stripped of the right to choose smart students, which will make them lose their edge in offering elite programs.
They claimed that the plan goes against the principles of diversity and merit-based education.
Despite the opposition, Chung was determined to push for the bill as planned, describing the "elite" schools as public enemies, causing parents to spend more to get their children private tutoring from their elementary school period.
"Foreign-language highs took advantage of the right to select smart students. They didn't train the foreign language talents to become professionals in their areas of specialization," Chung said in a message posted on his blog.
"Those schools became machines producing students admitted to prestigious universities."
His observation is partly supported by a recent survey showing that four out of 10 newly appointed judges this year are alumni of the elite schools.
Over the past 20 years after the first foreign-language high school was established, the elite institutions have been regarded as the gateway to prestigious universities.
Some parents make their children take private English lessons at hagwon or individual study with high-paying English instructors to help them gain admission.
Industry experts say household spending on English education makes up the lion's share of the approximately 20-trillion-won private education market.
Last year, total household spending on private education rose 4.3 percent compared with the previous year, while spending on English education went up 12-percent.
Chung, one of the crusaders of the campaign to cut household spending on private education in the ruling camp, said foreign-language highs are mainly responsible for the increase in private tutoring spend.
The lawmaker also believes it is the source of every major social problem such as falling birthrates.
Chung's understanding is based on the idea that the chances of those who get expensive private tutoring gaining admission to elite high schools are high, as are the chances of students from the schools entering prestigious universities.
This indicates that more and more children are likely to surpass their parents' socio-economic status, Chung added.