College of the Immaculate Conception

Educational System of South Korea

Prepared by:

Monching B. Ocampo

MaEd – Educ Mgt.

Submitted to:

Ma’am Milagros Cortez

Course: Educ 311 – Comparative Education

 Introduction

The most important thing that we can pass on to our

generation is the knowledge that they can get through education
and that is one of the distinguishing characteristics of South
Koreans. Their government supports the ambition of “no child is
left behind”, that’s why even their public schools can produce
globally competitive learners.

During the olden times their culture only permits the elite
members of the society. It is unnecessary for commoners to just
go to school and learn. They only learn with the help of their
parents especially their mother’s and what they can teach is all
about doing household chores. Life is very tough for South
Koreans because they experienced long war. That’s why they split
out to their brother which is the North Korea. The long journey
of their educational system is influenced by their connection to
the westerner’s.

Modern education, born at a time of great influx of Western

Democratic ideals accepted by all South Koreans. They develop
what they learn and continue to develop to cope up to the rapidly
changing world. That’s why South Koreans are known for its
people. Their burning desire to exhibits their characteristics as
being persistent and open for new learnings.

Koreans have achieved phenomenal achievement in making their

education accessible to all citizens, and by 2000 South Korea’s
literacy rate was nearly one hundred percent (100%). Due to that,
their economy expands and grows and by now they are at the 11th
spot. It is truly remarkable for South Korea to invest to their
education system and right now they are harvesting what they sow.
 Educational System of South Korea

I. Problems encountered

It seems like even if we see the growth of South Korea’s

economy due to their kind of education, there are flaws that
manifests. As we believe, that the only constant thing in this
world is change and so is their system of education. There are
serious issues like overemphasis of examination preparation, the
high cost of education driven by private tutoring and cram
schools; concerns about inequalities in educational opportunity
as costs rises; overcrowded classroom; pedagogy based on rote
memorization rather than individual creativity; and the belief
that the nation’s schooling especially at the higher education
level is inadequate to meet the requirements of a modernizing
nation.

South Korea’s education is merely driven by examination

preparation particularly for the college entrance exam. It is
very hard to pass that kind of test that’s why here in the
Philippines we can see a lot of South Koreans. They continue
their studies here because it’s a lot cheaper and there are
levels of entrance examination that they are very confident to
pass. We can’t ignore the fact that by this kind of event we are
very sure how hard it is just to get in colleges and universities
in South Korea. In addition to tough examination the parents in
that said country are obliged to hire private tutors which are
very costly. It’s a burden most especially for average South
Koreans.

II. Curriculum and Semester

The Academic year in South Korea is somehow similar to what

 we have here in the Philippines. The first semester starts
from March to mid-July and the second semester is from late
August to mid-February. In addition to the intervals between
semesters, students rest during the holidays – from the end of
December to the beginning of February. The training program is
not strictly regulated, so it may differ slightly in different
institutions.
Education program is available for every Korean. It has
primary schooling which is 6 years, secondary education that
lasts for 3 years. Secondary education in high-level schools that
also lasts for 3 years, vocational school, university colleges,
bachelor’s degree, Universities: postgraduate and doctoral
studies.
Pre-school education is optional, but it is getting more and
more attention. The main task of educators is to engage in
comprehensive development of the child. Creating an environment
that positively affects physical and emotional development. Pre-
school education has 3 stages, the Nariman preschool from 3 days
to 3 years, the Arinichev which is the average group that ages
from 2 to 6 years old, and Jochiwon which is the older group that
ages form 4 to 6 years. It is at the age of 4 that the children
begins to prepare diligently for school.
In kindergarten, children are taught the basics, starting
with the ability to walk and talk, ending with the study of
musical instruments and learning English. That is, comprehensive
preparation for school life.
Elementary school in Korea is called “chodin hack”. The
education system in Korea s based on the principle of equality,
so students are distributed among schools depending on the place
of residence. Most subjects, except for specialized ones, such as
foreign language and music, are taught by a class teacher.
 Special attention is paid to basic disciplines: Korean
language and grammar, English language, Mathematics, Social
Science, music, and painting.
Middle school are already more adult and independent, so
they have great requirements, for example, they must wear school
uniforms and modest hairstyles. Im addition to the basic subjects
studied form primary schools, middle-level students begin to
study other subjects like are criticism, physical education,
historical discipline, Chinese characters, economy, ethics, and
informatics.
Higher school in Korea is more commonly known as
“kadinjaca”. Take students from 17-19 years. Training lasts for
three years. It is more complex and reaches up to 11 subjects a
day, and after classes go to sections and circles. These schools
prepare students for difficult exams and College admissions.
There are both public and private high schools. They can
also specialize in different areas such as Science, Linguistics,
and Arts. Formal learning in higher education in South Korea is
optional. However, statistics shows that 98% of all children
complete it and this is the largest figure on the entire world.
On the other hand, to enter college, high school graduates
must pass a special exam which is known as “sunin”. For which
they have been preparing since elementary school. They must pass
Korea, English, and Math. In college, students study for 2 to 4
years, depending on the institution.
After college it is time for University. A young person can
go to University for which he needs to pass the entrance
examination which is nationwide.
Undergraduate students study for 4 years. Then, if they
wish, they can go to study for a master’s degree. At the end of
which they can get a candidate of Science degree, having defended
the corresponding dissertation. According to similar scheme, a
person is trained in doctoral studies after post-
 graduate studies- then a person receives a doctor of science
degree. This is the longest, but complete option on the way to
mastering the profession, which opens up great opportunities for
the newly minted specialists.

Conclusion

South Korea’s current education “wows” the whole world. It

is due to their long way of tradition and culture. Even if they
are really devastated by World War 2, they continue to strive as
a nation. Their hard work and dedication towards education makes
them strong. It is true that by education, a nation may rise or
fall.