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Education in South Korea

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Submitted By zackoflife
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South Korea; one the fastest growing countries in Asia, if not, even the world. Development within the country has skyrocketed within the past 5 years, and that is very apparent when it comes to the country’s educational system, which has been considered by many sources as the best in the world, followed closely by Japan, its neighbouring country.
Education is free for all children whose parents are earning a lower than average income, starting from the age of 6 years to the age of 15 years. South Korea’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) allocates 80% of its budget to fund the schools within the country. Local schools also benefit from locally issued bonds, tuition and school admission fees, and internal assets, however, only to a smaller degree. Funds from the Ministry of Education, Science and technology can be spent by the Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education however they deem necessary. Most private schools in South Korea are funded by organizations and private donors as well as tuition fees. They are also given small amounts of subsidies by the government.
The graduation rate in South Korea isn’t the furthest extent of the country’s success when it comes to education. For example, on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) math test in 2006, South Korean students were ranked 3rd; besting Hong Kong and Netherlands, to which were placed 4th and 5th respectively.
In South Korea, education is valued highly and the need for it is embedded into the culture of the country. The strong believe in the need for education is seen as a social standard or belief. School life for a South Korean student may seem rather mundane. A typical school day is about 8 hours long, and even after that, students are expected to spend the remaining hours of the day re-examining school work or attending private tutoring. This restless and boring lifestyle has become the social norm for students in the country. Parents with fierce determination, cutthroat societal pressure, and students who study relentlessly, has become South Korea’s go-to formula to success in the educational department.
However, the emphasis for education does not come cheap. Several studies have shown that families in South Korea spend about three times the amount of money on education in comparison to American families. It is estimated that South Korean parents spend a total of $200 billion to send their children to private educational institutes.
With its grinding workload and conformist regimen, the South Korean educational system is a format that many other countries are not willing to replicate. While it may be considered the norm for South Koreans, burning midnight oil, the constant pressure from parents to do exceedingly well, and attending private tutor classes and after school programs on a day to day basis, even after painfully long school hours, may be too much for students in other countries. Fortunately, as the country of South Korea continues to develop and grow at breakneck speeds, parents and educators alike are starting to notice the downside of the students studying nonstop to perform well on examinations, as they tend to fall short on the creativity; a trait that may play a big role in the country’s growth. Many hope to abolish the harsh standards set on students by society, so that students can live happier and healthier lives.

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