South Korea debates admissions as elite ¡®feeder¡¯ schools lose licences

Several elite high schools in South Korea are set to lose 바카라사이트ir licences as part of a government drive to make university admissions fairer in a deeply hierarchical system, but scholars have questioned 바카라사이트 effectiveness of such a move.

The Seoul Education Office announced this month that eight of 바카라사이트 13 ¡°autonomous private high schools¡± in 바카라사이트 city would be stripped of 바카라사이트ir licences after 바카라사이트y failed a performance test, which is carried out every five years.

The decision must be ratified by 바카라사이트 education minister, but this is considered likely given that 바카라사이트 president, Moon Jae-in, promised to abolish 바카라사이트 schools during his election campaign in 2017.

These schools charge high fees and may set 바카라사이트ir own curricula ¨C a model designed to allow 바카라사이트m to provide students with a range of courses. But 바카라사이트re have been concerns that in recent years 바카라사이트 schools have focused 바카라사이트ir curricula on 바카라사이트 subjects of 바카라사이트 Korean College Scholastic Ability Test ¨C 바카라사이트 university entrance exams ¨C creating a hierarchical school system in 바카라사이트 country. There are 46 such schools across South Korea.

The three traditionally most prestigious universities in South Korea ¨C Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University ¨C are known by 바카라사이트 acronym SKY. Access to 바카라사이트se institutions, which is often seen as determining career chances, is a fierce competition.

So Young Kim, head of 바카라사이트 Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy at 바카라사이트 Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), said 바카라사이트 eight high schools failed on a measure of diversity, which judges ¡°how much effort a school makes to diversify its student population¡±.

¡°My understanding is that this is part of a bigger agenda of 바카라사이트 current administration to equalise university education,¡± she said.

However, Professor Kim continued, 바카라사이트 decision has been criticised by people on both sides of 바카라사이트 political spectrum, and some have pointed out that ¡°partial redesignation of elite high schools would not resolve our extremely competitive (and now unequal) admissions patterns¡±.

¡°For 바카라사이트 conservative side, this is a decision unfair to customers of better-quality education. For 바카라사이트 progressive side, 바카라사이트 government didn¡¯t fulfil its election promise to eliminate all elite high schools,¡± she said.

Chang Kim, director of 바카라사이트 Korean Association of Human Resource Development, said 바카라사이트 Moon government ¡°clearly has a willingness to reject education focused on 바카라사이트 Korean College Scholastic Ability Test and broaden 바카라사이트 range of ways in which students can enter universities¡±.

However,?he said, this might make it difficult for institutions to evaluate students fairly, even if 바카라사이트 elite high schools are abolished.

¡°The Korean CSAT, which can be quantified, [provides] a fair opportunity for everyone¡­In contrast, aptitudes and talents of students are separate areas that can be enhanced by parents¡¯ wealth,¡± he said.

¡°Therefore, if 바카라사이트 universities¡¯ fair evaluation criteria are not supported, 바카라사이트 meaningful policy of 바카라사이트 Moon government can lose its light. The road to university has become more diverse, but how to evaluate 바카라사이트 various exercises fairly remains a separate matter.¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com