2016/1/22

January 17, 2016,
déjà vu?

A Tale of Education in Korea

Mothers praying hours & hours at
a temple when their children’s exam
for university entrance due in 101 days

Bong Gun Chung, Ed.D.
Visiting professor
CICE, Hiroshima University
Jan 21, 2016.

Gojoseon(古朝鮮)Korean history begins

I.

A Blitz History of Korea

Legendary B.C. 2333 – circa A.D. 3c
But no records of education systemand practices

Goguryeo, AD 5th

Three Kingdoms Era(三國時代)

Koryo(高麗), 918-1392

A.D. 3C-7C

A Buddhist kingdom with
Confucian politics.

Goguryeo : Kyoung Dang &Tae Hak
Silla : Hwa Rang(花郞)Silla unified the kingdoms in thepeninsula, existed until 10 C.

Both public and private education
institutions for social politicalselection(recruitment exam forliterati officials, Kwa-keo 科擧)Kukjagam(國子監) & others for
Kwa-keo.

Unified Silla had a flourishing
Buddhism.
Exchanges with Aska sidai(飛鳥)
Japan

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Chosun(朝鮮), 1392-1910

The Letter Hall(書堂),
grassroots one-room school

A fundamentalist Confucianism(朱子學)Well-structured education institutions
nationwide.
Sungkyunkwan (成均館),
Hakdang(學堂)Hyangkyo(鄕校)Seowon(書院)State reproduction of Confucian ruling
ideology and life ethics.
Recruitment exam for aristocratic state
official class epitomized(科擧)Ardent study of Chinese classics
Literature education for poem, verses
KIM, Hong-do, 18th Century

Buddhist Temple Schools, Japan

Japan, 1854

8

Korea, 1871

Terakoya(寺 子 屋)

No Need to Explain
Japanese occupation
1910-1945

Westernized education
introduced with European dual
elitist practices.
Korean private schools emergedwith Christian, philanthropic, andpatriotic backgrounds.

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2016/1/22

1945, Korea was divided as the
War ended by the US and the
USSR along the 38th Parallel.

Korean War(1950-1953)
KoreanWar 1950 -53

The Korean War(1950-1953), thefront line moving south and northdevastated schools into ruin.

14

Schools
open
Education
duringtheeven
War during the War

Works Days and Nights
Industrialization

On-shift Night Time Factory Schoolfor young female workers, left poor
countryside for cities.
Early 1970’s industrialization era

Tent school at a refugee camp during the Korean War, Busan, 1951
15

Risingthe andDebrisof WarA Risefromfrom
the Ashes
Debris16

A Record of Economic Development

Income Growth

21,217Per Capita
GNI (US$)12,646
11,432

10,0006 Five-Year Economic
Development Plans

7,355

5,000

1,000(1977)
67
1945

Downtown Seoul, 1950

VoJ
(1945)

Night view now
17

1953
Korean War(1950~53)

Source: Il Whan Ahn, WBI K4D, ‘05

87 100(1964)
1962

1970
Big Push

1980

1990

1995 1998 2003 2010
OECD

(1996)

F. Crisis(1997)
18

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A Satellite View at Night

II. Achievements of Korean Education:
Quantity, Quality, & Equality

Non-Tracking
6-3-3-4
SystemA Monolithic
School Ladder,democratic
No tracking & selection until H.E.

Quantitative Expansion,
The Domino
of Provision
120
100

80

60

40

20

0
45

51

57

60
Primary21

No School Choice Policy(平準化 政策)

Abolition of entrance competition by mandate
Random allocation to a neighboring school in the school district
Middle schools (1968-), high schools (1974-) large cities first
Imposed on both public and private schools alike by law
High School Leveling

Non leveling

1974

Seoul, Busan

-

1975

year

Taegu, Incheon, Kwangju

1979
1980
1981
1990
1991

-

2000

Kunsan, Iksan, Ulsan
Koyang, Bucheon, Anyang, Kwachon,
Uiwang, Gunpo, Sungnam(Bundang)
Mokpo, Suncheon, Yeosu
Kimhae(except Jangyu)
Pohang

2005
2006
2008

75

80

85

90

U. Secondary

95

0

5

10

13

Tertiary

Source: http://www.index.go.kr/potal/main/EachDtlPageDetail.do?idx_cd=1520
KEDI, Universalization of Elementary and Middle School Education, CRM 2009-28-1, p. 33.
KEDI, Universalization of Tertiary Education, CRM 2008-22-8, p. 28.

Qualitative Achievement,
One of the highest in OECD PISA

Kunsan, Mokpo, Andong
Chuncheon, Wonju, Iri(Iksan)
ChunanKimhae(Jangyu)-

Leveling region

total

70

L. Secondary-

Daejon, Chonju, Masan, Chongju, Suwon,
Chuncheon, Jeju city
Sungnam, Wonju, Chunan, Kunsan, Iri,
Mokpo, Andong, Chinju
Changwon
-

1995
2002

65

Non leveling region

schoolclass

student

teacherschoolclass

student

teacher

850

27,789990,959

60,923569

11,613

390,951

25,739http://edpolicy.kedi.re.kr/EpnicDb/Epnic/EpnicDb01Main.php

42016/1/22

Creativity vs rote memorization puzzle,
How come the exam driven brings Creativity?

Korean 15 years-old students in PISA,
Among the top achievers over a decadeOECD(2013). PISA 2012 Assessment and Analytical Framework, p.122

EquityWithin& Between schools,
Schools
Smallest
Inequality
among/between
PISA 2000, Reading score
Variation in Student Achievement/readingla ndvar by inst

wthn varedSw

btwn var

Korea showed the smallest
variances within andbetween schools, that means,equity in schooling.

en

11

Fin

33
9
11

Z

63

7
13

re a

83

N

15
7

Ko

ly
Ja
pa
n

y
an

35

77

S

37

104

K

44

51

I ta

65

rm
Ge

43

10

82

U

50

84

U

120
100
80
60
40
20
0
-20
-40
-60
-80
-100

OECD, PISA 2000, p.61
30

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2016/1/22

Equity Improved

Small Influence from SES on Math score, PISA 2012
Socio-educational Achievement

OECD (2013), PISA 2012 Results: Excellence Through Equity: Giving Every Student the
Chance to Succeed (Volume II), PISA, OECD Publishing. p.57.

OECD (2013), PISA 2012 Results: Excellence Through Equity: Giving Every Student
the Chance to Succeed (Volume II), PISA, OECD Publishing. p.36.

Get TwoEquity: Quality&
andEquality : Get Two
QualityHigh quality
Low equity

560

Gender Ratio, 2013
High quality
High equity

CanadaIreland

New ZealandAustralia
United Kingdom

Reading literacy

520
500

Germany

480
460

Belgium
FranceUnited States
Switzerland
Czech RepublicHungary

Korea
Japan

SwedenAustria
NorwayDenmark40%

Luxembourg-5female20%
0%Mexico-15 Low quality
-10

male

30%
10%

420
-20

70%
50%

Spain
Italy

Source: OECD (2001) Knowledge and skills for life, Table 2.3a, p.253.

440

80%
60%

Iceland

PolandGreecePortugal

100%
90%

Finland

540

0

5

10

15

Low equity

20
Low quality25

High equity“Korea is clearly in the top right quadrant which can be considered tobe high quality and high equity.” Barry McGaw, OECD, June 2005

KEDI, 간추린통계
33

Performance
Low Cost
HighHigh
Achievementwith Lowwith
Expenditure

Knowledge/Education
and Income
Knowledge(Education)
andIncome Growth

Average read, math, sci, PISA 2000
570
Finland

Korea

Australia
Belgium
United Kindgom

520

Czech Republic

Ireland

Hungary
Poland470

Greece420

Spain

GermanyJapan

Sweden Switzerland Austria
FranceUnited States
Norway Denmark
Italy

PortugalMexico370

Brazil

Ghana

320
0

10,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,00080,000

Cumulative expenditure per student from Grade 1 until age 15 PPP US$
35

Source: World Development Report, 1999

36

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2016/1/22

Spending on Education
Spending Much,
Is this efficient?
III. The Cost of Achievements

PrivateMuch
Expenditure
Relaying
on Private Expenditure,
The role of the state in education?

NumberSchools& Students
Large
Share ofof Private
Schools
Number of schools
total

pub

Number of students

priv

Total (female)publicPrivate776,738(310,247)
44(25)
3,577(2,046)
25,817(2,185)

18,790000757,948
44
3,577
25,8172 yr college
Miscellaneous
Cyber college
Poly Tech

147
1
2
12

10
0
0
0

137
1
2
12

Sub total

162

10

152

806,176(338,135)

18,790787,386

4 yr University
Teacher college
Industrial Univ
Tech university
Air&correspondMiscellaneous
Cyber university

183
10
9
1
1
4
16

30
10
3
0
1
2
0

153
0
6
1
0
2
16

2,065,451(802,075)
20,241(13,765)
122,916(34,430)
135(49)268,561(177,582)
4,829(2,614)
103,917(59,749)

441,946
20,241
58,7490268,5613,628
01,623,505
064,167135
01,201
103,917

Subtotal

224

46

178

2,586,050(1,090,264)

793,125

1,792,925

Grad(stand alone) 1,167(41) 225(1)942

329,933(158,523)

105,376

224,557

Source: excerpted from Ed Stat Yearbook, 2011, http://cesi.kedi.re.kr
39

Huge Private Tutoring Expenditure

Declining a bit after 2010,
Perhaps owing to demographic decrese?
(in million Korean Won)

Education budget

1994

2001

2007

2010

11,068,149

21,598,422

31,216,000

38,115,800*

Private expenditure

5,645,917

10,663,417

20,040,000

20,871,800

Primary
Middle school
Academic H
Vocational H

2,900,045
1,848,887
693,486
203,499

6,519,494
2,584,171
1,339,819
219,932

10,209,800
5,612,000
3,865,500
352,600

9,708,000
6,039,600
4,751,200
373,000

Excerpted from:
Sang Keun Choi, et al., A Study of Private Education and Expenditure, KEDI, 2003, p. 23
The Office of Statistics, The Survey of Private Education Expenditures, 2010, p.57
*budget for science & technology excluded

yr＼schtotal

primary

middle schhigh sch2008

209,095

104,307

58,13546,652

2009

216,259

102,30962,656

51,294

2010

208,718

97,08060,396

51,242

2011

201,266

90,46160,00650,7992012

190,395

77,554

61,162

51,6792013

185,960

77,37557,83150,754source : MOE, Office of Statistics, 100million Korean Won

41

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2016/1/22

LongestSchoolHours
Work
Hours
Week
Studying
the Longest
In &Out of per
School,Are they happy?

Decrease in the number of students

OECD (2004), Learning for tomorrow’s world, Figure 5.14, p.242.
50
45

Hours per week

40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5

Source : KEDI, 2015 Brief Statistics of Korean Education, p.8

Italy
Irela
nd
Spa
in
Hun
gary
Lux
em
bou
Slo
rg
vak
Re
pub
lic
Belg
ium
Aus
tria
Pola
nd
Port
uga
l
Fra
nce
Ice
lan
d
Ca
nad
a
Aus
tralia
Un
ited
Sta
tes
Jap
an
Ne
wZ
eala
nd
Ge
rma
ny
Ne
the
rlan
ds
Sw
itze
rlan
Cze
d
ch
Rep
ublic
Fin
lan
d
De
nm
ark
Norw
ay
Sw
ede
n

Kore
a
Me
xico
Turk
ey
Gre
ece

0

In school

44

Burdened with Heavy Weights

Out of School Life

The Cram School District, Kangnam

Out of school

Going home mid night45

OECD, 20098

2016/1/22

Korea, the world’s most innovative economy
Bloomberg, 2016. 1. 20

It reads…

Korean Teachers are Well Paid

Korean Teachers Work LessEAG 2014, p.454

EAG 2014, p.474

World Ranking of Korean Universities

A Narrow Gate

Some say, We Don’t Care the Rankings in universities.
Then, What Else?
The Times Higher Education(THE)
2008

2009

Seoul National Univ

50

47

2015/16
85

KAIST

95

69

148

Yonsei Univ

203

151

301-350

Korea Univ

236

211

251-300

Postech

188

134

116

53

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Rising Youth Unemployment Rate

Youth NEET, Korea

55

Higher Education in Korea,
Over-education, Over-capacity?

http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/Article.aspx?aid=3007240

Perhaps True…

Nevertheless, she wants to go..

A Tool Box for Analysis
Factors＼Aspects

Historical

SocialPolitical

Economic

Contingency

IV. Analysis of Korean Education

Structure
AgencyIdeology
Physical Conditions/
Resources102016/1/22

Contributing
Factors to Achievements
An
Analytical Framework

Historical
Backdrops
Legaciesforof Korean
Educational
Education
Ideology
1. Traditional Confucianism (4th C - 1910)- Rule by literati class, civilian supremacy- Aristocracy based on recruitment exam

Ideologies
demandingmore/better
Education

2. Japanese Occupation (1910 - 1945)- Deterred expansion in secondary & tertiary- European Elitist Education System

The Good, Bad,
& Ugly in
KoreanEducation

3. U.S. Influence (1945 to present)- Mass education for political democracy- Mono-track school ladder system for equity

Educational
SystemsandPractices

4. Neo-Liberalism (1984 to present)- Market Principle to Education Sector

PhysicalConditions
61

62

Actors in Education
Actors Dedicatedin Korean Education

Favorable Socioeconomic
Environment
Socio-Educational
Structure in Korean
Education

1. Governments : MOE & Local Ed Offices
Development with authoritarian leadershipbased on Education Laws

1. Upward Social Mobility through Education
Aristocracy and landlord class dismantled

2. Private School Owners
Motivated by informal merits & formal causes

2. Strong Rewards for Education

3. Parents and Students
Seized with education fever for their children
Obedient Tendency of Korean Youth Culture

Social respect, self-esteem, & higher wage
3. Manpower Demand for Industrialization

4. Teachers
Professionalism with self-esteem
Politicized teacher union activism

Labor intensive industrial structure at early stage
4. Successful Family Planning for Less Children

5. Mass Media : Newspapers, TVs, Internets

More family resources, care, & expectation
63

Constant, acute coverage on education issues

Balancing theValues& Ideologies
Ideology/Values
in Korean
Education

Actor Politics
Teacher first…
Due respect…
Job interests…

Equity first…
Working condition…
More democracy…

Liberalism

Elitism, Quality over Equity
Market Principles: choice, competition

Teacher Association

Teacher Union

Egalitarianism
Parental NGOs

Nat’l competitiveness…
Exam hell…
Private tutoring…

64

Government

Children first…
High test scores…
Equal treatment…

Fundamentalism
65

Equity over Quality
Equal Opportunity

Education for its Own Purposes
Differentiation from Economy
66

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Structureof Educational
Finance
Legalizedbudgetary
revenue structure,
Earmarked for primary & secondary

Private Expenditure
2010, trillion Won

Ministry of Ed&ST
Expenditure
Total

Revenue

38.3

Kindergarten,
Primary,
SecondaryMiscell.
Higher Ed

Local Education Offices

32.5
0.2
5.1

44.3

Expenditure

32.3

Central Gov’t(20.27% ofnational
domestic revenue)
Local gov’ts

7.6

LLL, VET

0.5

Tuition/fees

2.5

Others0.1

Local Ed. bond

1.9

44.3

Personnel

27.8

Operation

4.2

Programs

4.7

Facilities

3.4

Debt Pay

0.7

Reserve

0.3

Miscell.

3.2

67

Korea Became an OECD DAC donor, 2010.

V. Korean Education &Development Cooperation“We will increase our ODA amount and share globally
Korea’s experiences of development.”
A “Polite” Aidtouching the heartsof the recipients

K-ODA

Increasing the Amount
1.8

0.16

0.15
0.14

1.4

0.12

1.2

0.10

1.0
0.08
0.8

% of GNI

Billions USD, 2012 constant prices

1.6

0.06

0.6

0.04

0.4
0.2

0.02

0.0

0.00

Net ODA (left axis)

ODA as % of GNI (right axis)

OECD DCR, 2015 p. 235
dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933245178

Excerpted from OECD DCR, 2015 p. 310
dx.doi.org/10.1787/888933246713

122016/1/22

Along with the World Bank,
Encouraged to share
Y. Kim

E. King

R. Halsey

The WB noticed
the early
completion of primaryPrimary
Education
First
education provision.

World Bank (2008), An African Exploration of the East Asian Education Experience, p. 169-70.

In fact, Korean Focused on TVET and HE
Almost negligent on Basic/EFA

75

Why Is It That?
A Critical Review of Korean Educational ODA
Agency : MoE, MoFA, MoSF fragmented, MoE’s second priority, but among
MoFA/KOICA’s first priority
Structural condition : Education as domestic state function rather thaninternational/global one
System/Practice : Manpower, expertise, overseas branches concentrated in
KOICA/MOFA
Ideology/Value : Economic growth first, instrumentalist view of education
prevails, rather human-centered and educational intrinsic
Resources : Budgets concentrated in KOICA and EXIM/MoSF

SDG Goal 4 and Korean Education ODA
The SDG 4 by now includes too many & too much targets and values.
Therefore, whatever you may do, you are likely to hit anyone of them.
So, as usual, Korea decides to select and concentrate.
Welcomes that unlike MDG basic education extended to lower secondary.
Notes that quality, inclusiveness, and ethics are emphasized in the SDG 4.
KOICA education sector will focus on those topics during 2016-20 such as:- Better Life for Girls : President Park Geun-hye’s agenda- Global Citizenship Education : President Park’s and UNSG’s agenda- Quality secondary education : excused from past negligence on EFA- Inclusive education for the disadvantaged : determined to support
the least developed countries unattended for so far
MOE will focus on TVET as proven in the UNESCO BEAR(Better Education for
African Rise), ICT, and GCED implementation in schools.

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2016/1/22

So, my story ends here,
as if in the Rashomon.

Thanks much for your attention
to my treachery of images, figures & signifiers!

.

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