Student Corner Inadequate Public English Education
By Kim Yea-lhim
The presidential transition team has presented an English immersion education policy, since high school graduates who have learned English for over six years typically lack English-speaking skills.
As a Korean citizen having gone through the Korean education system, I can’t agree more with the firm will of President-elect Lee Myung-bak to strengthen English education.
Under the slogan of globalization, English proficiency has become an important skill.
However, inadequate English-language education creates various problems, including tons of money poured into private institutes, so-called ``goose fathers” sending their wives and children to English-speaking countries and unqualified foreign tutors.
It seems that the most serious side effect is the income disparity between the haves and have-nots reflected in the education each student receives.
I attended a foreign-language high school in Seoul and saw a number of students with good English proficiency, especially in speaking.
What surprised me was that many of them had never set foot in an English-speaking country. Like many, I held a prejudice that only those who lived abroad could speak good English. In fact, their competence resulted from much expensive private tutoring.
On the other hand, students who couldn’t benefit from such lavish education fared less well.
The gap between them couldn’t be narrowed in 3 years.
It is because speaking English is difficult to master through school classes and a student’s efforts, unlike other subjects.
The new policy will certainly improve the quality of public English education and give people a better chance to learn English.
However, there is skepticism regarding the new policy among teachers and parents.
Some warn that there may not be a sufficient supply of teachers to lecture in English, while others dread that it may lead to a waste of taxpayers’ money if it is not carried out properly.
I partly disagree with the new English ability test required for college admission. The new education plan may improve the overall proficiency of the students but there will still be gaps among students that public education won’t help.
Letting it affect college admission will only force students to rely more on private tutoring, which is what people fear most.
The English test should be limited to showing if the student has enough ability to communicate and take classes in college. English-only classes will be sufficient if carried out as intended.
Voices of worry always follow reform. We are all conscious of the necessity of reform in English education and the new plan is needed.
People have been demanding equal access to education and the new government is seeking a way to enhance its overall quality.
There may be a few logistical problems, such as hiring qualified teachers. I believe there will be a satisfactory outcome if the new government gradually sorts this out.