SOCIAL STUDIES III

WEEK 9

GLOBALISATION IN
EDUCATION
EDUCATION IN KOREA
Prepared by: Miss Ima Izzati Ismail

Introduction
There is an old saying in Korea:

"One should not step even on the shadow of one's

teacher."
This proverb relays the degree of respect traditionally accorded to
teachers.
While there have been many changes to the Korean educational
system since its adoption of modern teaching methods, much of the
old tradition remains.

Education in Ancient Korea

According to ancient history texts, formal education in Korea began
during the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C.-A.D.668) under the
influence of the Chinese educational system.
The institutionalization of the civil service examination in the mid10th century set the pattern for educational reform, by directing the
role of education toward preparing young men for public service.
Examinations in the Chinese classics were the major criteria for
qualification and this tradition has survived as the backbone of
Korean education system until the late 19th century, when Korea
opened its door to the West.

http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/education.htm

Advent of Modern Schools

Korea actually experienced the budding of a strong movement for
modernization in the late 17th to 18th century.
A group of young scholars came together to search for practical
ways to utilize academic knowledge for the purpose of modernizing
the country.
Their scholarship and thought became known as sirhak or "Practical
Learning."

Korean School System

The school system in Korea follows a 6-3-3-4 ladder pattern which
consists of:
Elementary education
elementary school (1st to 6th grades) to children between the ages
of 6 and 11.
Secondary education
middle school (7th to 9th grades) to those aged 12 to 14.
high school (10th to 12th grades) to students aged 15 to 17.
Higher education
junior college, college or university.

Preschool Education
Preschool education is not included in the formal school system.
However, its importance justifies attention in relation to the formal
school system.
Kindergarten is the main facility for preschool education in Korea.
The curricula consist of five life areas: physical, social, expression,
language and inquiry life areas.

Elementary Education
Elementary education for children was not made compulsory until
1953 because of the post-Korean War rehabilitation effort.
The Constitution stipulates in Article 31 that it is the responsibility of
all parents and guardians to ensure an elementary school education
for their children aged 6 to 11 and that this education is free.
Article 93 of the Education Act states that the goal of elementary
school education is to teach the fundamentals necessary for a
productive civic life.

Elementary Education
In order to fulfil this objective, the basic curricula for elementary
school education are divided into nine principal subjects:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

moral education
Korean language
social studies
arithmetic
natural science
physical education
music
fine arts
and the practical arts.

However, subject matters in grade 1 and 2 are integrated in

disciplined life, intelligent life and pleasant life.

Lower

Secondary Education

Lower secondary (middle) school level

Upon completing elementary school, children between the ages of 1214 are allowed to enter middle school for the 7th to 9th grade courses.
The middle school curricula are composed of 11 basic or required
subjects, elective subjects and extra curricula activities.
Technical and vocational courses are included in the elective subjects to
ensure the productive relationship between education and occupation.

Higher

Secondary Education

Higher secondary (high) school level

Middle school graduates (aged 15 to 17) or those with equivalent
academic background may enter high schools.
The period of study is three years (10th to 12th grades) and students
bear the expenses of the education.
High school education aims at providing advanced general and specific
education on the basis of middle school education.
Ways of selecting students for admission, including the recent taking
into account of the so-called "school activities records" where the threeyear life of the middle school students is recorded. (According to the revision
of the Education Act of May 31, 1995)

Higher

Secondary Education

Higher secondary (high) school level

Through the introduction of these individualized standards for school
admission, small-sized specialized high schools in areas such as music,
the arts as well as math and science have been and will continue to be
established.
For those students returning home from abroad into domestic schools,
international school will be also established.
And after 1998, "private high schools" that can be sustained with
finances from their own resources will be given the right to select
students as well as to decide tuition payments.

Higher Education
There are four categories of institutions for higher learning:
colleges and universities with four-year undergraduate programs (sixyear in medical colleges)
junior colleges
universities of education and colleges of education
miscellaneous schools like theological colleges and seminaries.

Higher Education
About 80 percent of all Korean institutes of higher education are
private.
In accordance with the Education Act and the relevant presidential
and ministerial decrees, all institutes of higher education, whether
public or private, come under the supervision of the Ministry of
Education.
The Ministry has control over such matters as student quotas,
qualifications of teaching staff, curricula, degree requirements, and
so on.

Issues related to
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/03/1
13_83117.html

For more information

Further your reading for a better understanding on Korean
education system.
Suggested links were listed below
http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/education.htm
http://thegrandnarrative.com/2007/07/03/the-korean-education-system-an
d-its-consequences-for-adults-intro-part-1
/
http://www.rjkoehler.com/2009/03/12/obama-praises-korean-educationsystem
/