Educational reform calls for long-term, basic approaches
President Yoon Suk Yeol has finally initiated his educational reform drive, which is one of his three major reform tasks, along with labor and pension. The drive comes more than a year after Yoon took office.
However, the president got off on the wrong foot ― again.
Last Thursday, Yoon instructed his education minister to exclude things that are not covered by public education from the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), or "suneung" as it's known in Korean. He even pinpointed test items that should not be presented, calling them "killer questions."
The remarks threw schools, students and parents into chaos. The president's intention seemed apparent ― making CSAT easier in order to free students from private tutoring institutions called "Hagwon," in Korean. Reading the president's mind, the ministry immediately sacked a director-general responsible for CSAT and planned to audit a related agency.
Still, faced with controversy over an easier CSAT, presidential aides said Yoon's remarks were not about the difficulty of the annual test, but its "fairness."
We understand the president's intention of trying to level the playing field when it comes to public education and reduce the harms of excessive private tutoring. Korean parents spent 26 trillion won ($20 billion) on private tutoring last year, nearly 500,000 won a month. Despite the declining number of students, private tutoring costs increased by 10.8 percent in 2022, more than double the 5.1 percent level of inflation. Two-thirds of high school students take additional after-school private classes.
What we don't understand is the way the president is handling this issue.
Yoon's comments on the CSAT came only five months before the day the suneung will take place. Students, who have prepared for the exam with the previous year's difficulty level in mind, feel confused. Moreover, an easier CSAT does not reduce but increases students' reliance on the hagwon, as they must avoid making mistakes on a test that makes it hard to differentiate excellent students from ordinary ones. It's about time for the president to know a good intention does not always lead to a good result.
Educational reform is a long-term task requiring a more fundamental approach. It must include changes in the college entrance system and ways to improve public education and phase out private tutoring. That, in turn, is related to a broader social system that ranks all schools and students in a single line. It is not much of an exaggeration to say Koreans' fate ― not just schooling but getting jobs and even finding marriage partners ― could be determined on suneung day. As many of us know, cars must stop honking their horns and airlines are forced to reschedule their take-off times on that day.
This is hardly normal, no matter how well one interprets it. Yes, Korea, a small country with few resources, owes much to its educational zeal for its growth. But the toll of this cutthroat competition is too high, made visible by having the world's unhappiest teenagers and the highest depression and suicide rates. There are too many successful but unhappy people here.
Korea is a one-shot society, and all students run to the same destination ― currently, it is medical school. It is neither healthy nor suits the future of this country. The nation must allow high school students to play and nurture their aptitudes, not cram knowledge into them. The nation needs more creative talent than just memorizing and test-taking robots.
The haphazard approach now unfolding before our very eyes are behind Yoon's floundering reforms.
Pension reform is drifting along, as the government has all but left the unpopular job to a parliamentary panel.
Labor and educational reforms have hit a snag and more serious than their slow progress is why. The labor reforms have lost their way since Yoon discarded the controversial 69-hour workweek proposal. The educational reforms will likely follow the same path due to the president's easier CSAT remark too.
All of the reforms started with the president's reckless, unprepared comments, sending his aides rushing to clean up his mess. Yoon had not met with labor or educational leaders before blurting out his views.
The president can have his opinions, but must think twice or thrice before expressing them, considering his position. All these reforms require social consensus or at least sufficient discussions.
People want a more prudent and thoughtful president.
President Yoon Suk Yeol has finally initiated his educational reform drive, which is one of his three major reform tasks, along with labor and pension. The drive comes more than a year after Yoon took office.
However, the president got off on the wrong foot ― again.
Last Thursday, Yoon instructed his education minister to exclude things that are not covered by public education from the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), or "suneung" as it's known in Korean. He even pinpointed test items that should not be presented, calling them "killer questions."
The remarks threw schools, students and parents into chaos. The president's intention seemed apparent ― making CSAT easier in order to free students from private tutoring institutions called "Hagwon," in Korean. Reading the president's mind, the ministry immediately sacked a director-general responsible for CSAT and planned to audit a related agency.
Still, faced with controversy over an easier CSAT, presidential aides said Yoon's remarks were not about the difficulty of the annual test, but its "fairness."
We understand the president's intention of trying to level the playing field when it comes to public education and reduce the harms of excessive private tutoring. Korean parents spent 26 trillion won ($20 billion) on private tutoring last year, nearly 500,000 won a month. Despite the declining number of students, private tutoring costs increased by 10.8 percent in 2022, more than double the 5.1 percent level of inflation. Two-thirds of high school students take additional after-school private classes.
What we don't understand is the way the president is handling this issue.
Yoon's comments on the CSAT came only five months before the day the suneung will take place. Students, who have prepared for the exam with the previous year's difficulty level in mind, feel confused. Moreover, an easier CSAT does not reduce but increases students' reliance on the hagwon, as they must avoid making mistakes on a test that makes it hard to differentiate excellent students from ordinary ones. It's about time for the president to know a good intention does not always lead to a good result.
Educational reform is a long-term task requiring a more fundamental approach. It must include changes in the college entrance system and ways to improve public education and phase out private tutoring. That, in turn, is related to a broader social system that ranks all schools and students in a single line. It is not much of an exaggeration to say Koreans' fate ― not just schooling but getting jobs and even finding marriage partners ― could be determined on suneung day. As many of us know, cars must stop honking their horns and airlines are forced to reschedule their take-off times on that day.
This is hardly normal, no matter how well one interprets it. Yes, Korea, a small country with few resources, owes much to its educational zeal for its growth. But the toll of this cutthroat competition is too high, made visible by having the world's unhappiest teenagers and the highest depression and suicide rates. There are too many successful but unhappy people here.
Korea is a one-shot society, and all students run to the same destination ― currently, it is medical school. It is neither healthy nor suits the future of this country. The nation must allow high school students to play and nurture their aptitudes, not cram knowledge into them. The nation needs more creative talent than just memorizing and test-taking robots.
The haphazard approach now unfolding before our very eyes are behind Yoon's floundering reforms.
Pension reform is drifting along, as the government has all but left the unpopular job to a parliamentary panel.
Labor and educational reforms have hit a snag and more serious than their slow progress is why. The labor reforms have lost their way since Yoon discarded the controversial 69-hour workweek proposal. The educational reforms will likely follow the same path due to the president's easier CSAT remark too.
All of the reforms started with the president's reckless, unprepared comments, sending his aides rushing to clean up his mess. Yoon had not met with labor or educational leaders before blurting out his views.
The president can have his opinions, but must think twice or thrice before expressing them, considering his position. All these reforms require social consensus or at least sufficient discussions.
People want a more prudent and thoughtful president.
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