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August 1, 2012
Vol. 54
No. 8

A Message from the Executive Director: The Miracle on the Han River

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      Several months ago, I visited the People's Republic of South Korea. During my visit, I experienced firsthand the power of the nation's highly acclaimed education system.
      In South Korea, education is the source of energy that is driving the nation's transformation into one of the most dynamic countries in the world. The synergy behind this phenomenon, which is referred to as the "Miracle on the Han River," is Korea's unique education system.
      In Korea, teachers are known as nation builders because these highly qualified individuals contribute significantly to raising the country's quality of education. The basic framework of teacher training—four-year teacher's colleges and universities of education—is systematically overseen by the government, as is hiring of teachers. Favorable rewards and job security attract talented individuals into the teaching profession.
      The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) coordinates education, science, and technology activities in the country. The education system and its policies (including teacher training, curriculum development, and improvements to the educational environments) are managed by the federal government.
      Specialized research institutes contribute greatly to educational progress by supporting government policies. The Korea Institute for Curriculum and Education (KICE) is a government-funded educational research institute. As a center for advanced research on curriculum and educational evaluation, KICE maintains close links with the government, academic circles, and teachers and students through public meetings and seminars concerned with the dissemination of research findings on the context of education policies.
      The Korean National University of Education (KNUE) provides preservice and inservice education and education research. Its Center for In-Service Education provides core training programs to a large number of teachers nationwide.
      The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) is a government organization affiliated with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. In charge of Seoul City's education policy for primary and secondary schools, the office is responsible for the supervision and evaluation of school curriculum, performance, and teacher training programs.
      In recent years, there has also been a backlash against the rigors of Korea's education system. Kwak Nohyun, SMOE's superintendent, says that despite success, excessive competition within the education system has created something of a narrow focus on preparing students for college entrance examinations. As a result, "students are exhausted from studying for long periods of time and parents face the financial burden created by private education," he says.
      For this reason, SMOE has developed the "Renaissance of Seoul Education" plan. "This plan is an attempt to rebuild our learning community where students can study and play together to allow them to cultivate friendships, as well as musical talents and physical talents. Therefore, Seoul education is turning 'competition' into 'cooperation," the superintendent states.

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