The education system in South Korea - from the first days of life to going to work. Higher education in South Korea The best school in Korea

Society

Koreans are actually very peaceful and friendly. Crime is at a very low level.

It is believed (but according to reviews this is not at all obvious!) that Koreans are terrible nationalists; It is almost impossible for a European young man to strike up a tender friendship with a Korean girl. There is an opinion that national pride is associated with pride in one’s country, which goes its own way, and not along with the West.

According to data released on November 4, 2003 by the Korea Institute of Health and Social Affairs, more than 56% of the money that the average South Korean family spends monthly goes to pay for the costs of raising, educating and maintaining children.

Korean society is structured in such a way that without a university degree a person has no chance of getting any kind of decent job, and the road to the most serious positions is open only to graduates of the top ten universities in the country. A city girl counting on a good match must have a higher education.

Korean children play less than their Western peers. They are forced to start adult life quite early. This is due to the specifics of the Korean system of social mobility, which recognizes only one path to the top - through education.

Family

The average age of marriage for young people has risen to 29 years, for girls - to 26 years).

Both the girl and the young man before getting married, at any age the will of the parents is always taken into account in the most serious way.

Korea is a country of housewives; most Korean women either do not work at all or work part-time, so children are under constant maternal supervision. Korean children compared to their European and American peers overly attached to mothers.

The love of children of Koreans, their passion for children is amazing. A question about a son or grandson can soften even the most unfriendly and wary of interlocutors. Children in the family are given all their spiritual strength, all their material capabilities, they are the object of universal love.

There is an opinion that in Korean society there is some skewed attitudes towards girls and women. Traditionally, in the countries of the Far East it was not customary to teach a girl the secrets of household chores or crafts. This was considered not only unnecessary, but even harmful. Girls were married off early and learned everything in their new families. But we must take into account that previously a girl could be married off at 10-12 years old, but now girls more often get married at 26. In this case, such upbringing traditions sometimes lead to the inadequacy of some adult Korean women.

According to statistics, significantly more boys are born in Korea than girls (14%); for comparison: in the world as a whole - only 5%. Demographers predict that within 10 years the country will face a severe shortage of brides.

The family cultivates such a striking Korean trait, like children's respect for their parents. Caring for parents is a duty more important than duties towards the state. In Korea, there are even university awards for especially respectful sons and daughters. Some of the sons or daughters remain to live with their parents and take care of them, even after getting married. Of course, adult children are obliged to provide financially for their elderly parents when they complete their working career.

Every child from an early age is first of all taught respect for father. The slightest disobedience to him is immediately and severely punished. Disobedience to the mother is another matter. Although children are required to honor their mother equally with their father, however, in most cases, the child often shows disobedience towards the mother.

Preschool education

Young children in Korea are raised very liberally. A child under 5-6 years old is allowed a lot. He can walk around the apartment, pick up and look at whatever he wants, and his requests are rarely refused. The baby is rarely scolded and almost never punished; he is always close to his mother.

The attitude changes when the child reaches the age of 5-6 years and begins to prepare to enter school. From this moment on, liberalism and indulgence in the child’s whims are replaced by a new educational style - tough, stern, focused on instilling in the child respect for teachers and, in general, for everyone who occupies higher places in the age or social hierarchy.

An important place in the family education of children among Koreans is occupied by the question respectful attitude towards work. Therefore, in Korean families, a love of work was instilled from the age of 6. (Sorry, couldn't find any details).

Children in Korea begin to learn from a very early age. Now, for example, early learning to read is very fashionable. In this case, “early” means from 2-3 years old! In addition, many preschoolers are taught music, drawing and counting. These lessons are not very expensive. The fact is that the role of teachers is usually played by middle-aged aunties, with a higher (often pedagogical) education, but without a permanent job.

The irrepressible desire of Korean parents to cram as much useful information as possible from their offspring has led to the emergence of a whole preschool education industry. There are a lot of educational games for little ones. The stores sell a great variety of colorful popular books, you can buy “educational games” there (for example, a puzzle in the form of a map of Korea), and even educational children’s songs recorded on cassettes (the multiplication table in the form of a song or the Korean alphabet - also in the form of a song) .

Features of the education system

Today's Korean children, who have to attend various courses in addition to school, often “busier than adults”. According to statistics, every nine out of ten schoolchildren in Korea take additional private lessons. They manage to relax a little only in rare leisure hours, sitting at the computer.

A child, coming home from school, barely catching his breath, goes to classes, and in the evening, to get some rest, sits down at the computer. He does not have the opportunity to simply spend time playing games with his peers. Realizing the harmful consequences of this situation, some Korean schools began to create Extended day groups, in which collective leisure activities are provided for children.

In general, severe pressure on a child, who from early childhood must meet the requirements placed on him, work hard and be responsible for his actions, is very typical for Korean pedagogy - both family and school. Unfortunately, suppression of non-standard behavior also has its shadow sides, because the child becomes accustomed to conformism, and his ability to make original decisions turns out to be noticeably weakened.

Principles of schooling

Koreans study at school for 12 years

At a Korean school Student ratings are regularly compiled, and it is very important to be as high as possible in this ranking, because admission to university is ahead.

Special educational institutions "Hawkons"(analogous to “Juku” among the Japanese) is engaged in coaching students in school curriculum subjects. In addition, many “hakwons” are engaged in what we call “general development.”

Korean parents, like our parents of Soviet times, overcoming the resistance of their children, direct them to countless different general education courses. Nowadays music, ballet, drawing and closely related traditional calligraphy, as well as, of course, the English language, are especially popular.

The last 3-4 school years in the life of a Korean high school student turn into the notorious "Exam Hell", when the average teenager spends 11 hours a day at school and in “hakwons”, and in addition, studies with tutors. All kinds of “general educational” entertainment are postponed until after the exam.

Principles of education at school

In the first grades of a Korean elementary school there are usually 50 - 60 students - a fantastic figure. In Korea, such classes are easy to manage and teachers in schools do not have problems with discipline. Their authority, supported by the influence of their parents, is undeniable

Puritan traditions in raising children are also supported. Most high schools in Korea are segregated, boys and girls study in different schools, which again meets the requirements of tradition. In high Korean society, it is customary to raise boys separately from girls.

If necessary, discipline is maintained by the most stringent methods: Corporal punishment is widely used in lower grades. 73% of Korean parents also said they hit their children when necessary.

Children at school punish. Moreover, they are punished in two ways. First punishment - individual. This is when the teacher, most often with a pointer, “strikes different parts of the body.” Usually on the arms or buttocks. The blows are most likely not strong, since no one cries after them. They are punished for not completing homework or for bad behavior. There is another punishment - group. This is when the whole class is punished for the fault of one student. Most often, children are lifted and forced to hold their arms up for a while.

Fostering collectivism in children is the specialty of the Korean school.

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Higher education in South Korea is divided into bachelor's (4 years), master's (2 years) and doctoral (2 to 4 years).

Admission to the University

Korean citizens, after graduating from high school, to enter a university, take a standard entrance exam called “sungun” (수능), it is taken once a year, consists of three parts: native language (Korean), mathematics and English, as well as additional Several subjects are selected from social or natural disciplines and, if desired, a second foreign language. (the choice of disciplines depends on the requirements of the university the applicant is going to enroll in).

Studying at universities is organized on a fee basis; sometimes Korean students can receive a scholarship for good academic performance, covering 50% of the tuition fee. Foreigners can study at Korean higher educational institutions, both on a paid and free basis (grant).

There is a special form of support for applicants from multicultural families, as well as a special exam for foreigners in cases where both parents are foreigners.

Scholarships for foreigners

Educational process

After successful selection, future students are invited to Korea (on a study visa). The first semester begins in the fall from September, and the second in the spring from March. Vacations occur in summer (from mid-June, July, August) and winter (from mid-December, January, February). Students can begin their studies either in the fall semester or in the spring semester.

South Korea has a point-based grading system. In one semester, a student must score a certain number of points to pass to another semester (the coefficient depends on the university).

Exams

Exams are taken twice a semester (midterm and final), in addition, students complete homework, for which they also receive points. Points are also awarded for visiting.

Disciplines

Before the start of the semester, students can independently choose their schedule, disciplines, and lecturer. Over the entire period of study, the student must attend a certain number of hours in a certain discipline. There are compulsory disciplines that the student must attend, as well as optional ones, which the student can choose independently.

To obtain higher education in Korea, you can enroll in one of 370 universities. Training is paid, but unified entrance tests have been developed at the state level. Private educational institutions account for almost 80% of all educational institutions. National and state universities are controlled by the government.

Basic principles of higher education in South Korea

The full course involves a 4-year bachelor's program (medical professions - 6 years), 2 years of master's, 3-4 doctoral courses. Educational programs contain rich theoretical training, specialized courses, laboratory and practical classes.

Education has a clear system for assessing knowledge. It includes tests, exams, defense of a diploma project, master's and doctoral dissertation. The form of study can be either full-time or part-time. The number of students in each university is determined by the state.

The cost varies significantly depending on the specialty, living conditions, the availability of grants and scholarships. Successful international students can almost completely offset their education costs with the government support that higher education in South Korea provides.

Features of the training system

Teachers use modern techniques that are aimed at maximizing students’ immersion in the essence of the subject. The basis is not lectures and seminars, but independent study of the material, research, speeches, discussions, various trainings and courses. For a successful process of acquiring knowledge there is:

• High-tech equipment.
• Many laboratories and research centers.
• Possibility of training in Korean and English.
• Intensive educational program.
• International principle of group formation.
• Availability of additional language, creative, technical courses

The academic year is divided into 2 semesters (March and September). At the end of each, a vacation of 1.5 months is provided. The average annual cost of a bachelor's degree is $1500-8000. Master's programs are 25% more expensive.

Popular University Programs

Universities that are prestigious among Koreans and in demand among foreigners provide exchange training, lectures by scientists, professors, politicians, actors, and athletes. The generally recognized leaders form a trio and are united by the abbreviation SKY.

Seoul National University. Among the graduates of the largest educational institution are well-known politicians and heads of world-famous corporations (LG, Samsung, Kim Yongsam and others). The campus can simultaneously accommodate more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students studying technical, environmental, social, engineering, and medical programs.

Korea University. In addition to mathematics, electrical engineering, biotechnology and IT technologies, much attention is paid to the humanities. A private university in Daejeon trains highly qualified lawyers and political scientists. An obligatory part of cultural life is festival and concert programs.

Yonsei University. The private educational institution has several hundred educational areas. Students from all over the world study art, culture, sociology, and technical sciences. There are several educational courses in English and a summer school.

Where can you get higher education in South Korea?

According to the government program, all universities support the national strategy to increase the number of students and the high level of teaching.

There are also a number of other universities where both Koreans and foreigners study. Universities have dormitories, canteens, sports complexes, and libraries. The nearby neighborhoods usually have inexpensive apartments and rooms for rent. Convenient transport links help you attend cultural events and travel in your free time.

Higher education in Korea is distinguished by a high level of professional knowledge, skills and abilities. The multinational basis of training helps further successful integration of graduates into various fields of business, science, and politics.

Since ancient times, Korea, like other countries of the Confucian civilization, has been characterized by an extremely respectful attitude towards education. This attitude had a completely material basis: advancement up the bureaucratic ladder and, in general, the path to wealth and privileges (not the only one, but the most direct and most honorable) ran through the system of passing state exams on knowledge of the Confucian canon, and preparation for these serious tests required a comprehensive education. Although Korean society has undergone enormous changes over the past century, the attitude towards education has remained the same. In modern Korean society, a university degree is a necessary precondition for entry not only into the economic, political and cultural elite, but simply into the ranks of the “middle class.” A person without a diploma, in general, has nothing to count on here: at best, he can hope for an average income and a very modest social position, but it is much more likely that he will work 10-12 hours a day all his life for a meager salary . Therefore, it is clear that the main task of a Korean school is to prepare graduates for entrance exams, the success or failure of which in Korea determines a person’s entire future life path.

In a Korean school, students study for 12 years: 6 years in primary school, 3 years in secondary school, 3 years in high school. This system, which is often denoted by the formula “6-3-3” in Korean, has been in effect since the very first years of independence, more precisely since March 1950. All three levels of Korean school education are clearly separated from each other. The three levels of schools are located in different buildings and are not organizationally connected with each other. The transition from primary school to junior high school, and from junior high school to higher secondary school, is quite a serious event for a student, since it is associated with a complete change of the entire familiar environment. Until the end of the sixties, admission to the next level of school was accompanied by exams and was competitive. Thus, in 1965, only 48.8% of graduates of the primary six-year school continued their education in secondary school. Of course, this dropout was caused primarily by economic reasons (at that time Korea was a very poor country), but still, even entering high school was an event. In 1968, however, the entrance exams to secondary school were abolished, and over the next decade the transition to secondary school became almost automatic, so that by 1985 99.1% of primary school graduates were in junior secondary school. This allowed the transition to compulsory universal secondary education (9 grades) to begin in 1985, which was generally completed by the early 1990s.

The Korean school system, in its structure and basic principles of functioning, is quite close to the Japanese (which is quite understandable) and, partly, the old Soviet one, but in many ways it differs from the American one, which it would seem to be like. Korean schools are uniform; teaching in all schools is based on the same textbooks, in accordance with uniform programs approved at the level of the Ministry of Education. Education fees in similar schools are also the same throughout Korea. It is believed that all citizens of the country should have equal rights to receive a quality education, and the creation of expensive elite schools will inevitably create serious inequality between citizens on such an important issue for Korea (however, there are several exceptions to this rule, which we will discuss below). All teachers must regularly undergo mandatory certification; their level and teaching methods are monitored by numerous government agencies. The appearance of inspectors, including sudden, mandatory open lessons, checks of plans and manuals - all this is the daily reality of the Korean school.

The authorities do not limit themselves to strictly controlling the uniformity of the programs adopted in all schools in the country, as well as the level and focus of teaching. They go further and strive to ensure that there are no too obvious qualitative inequalities in educational attainment between schools. There have been cases when a particular school, in which a “too strong” teaching staff was selected, was reorganized by the decision of local authorities, who believed that an excessive concentration of good teaching staff in one school would inevitably lead to the fact that its students would find themselves in a privileged position upon admission to university.

Since the main reason for inequality in the level of school education, as the Korean Ministry of Education reasonably believes, is the difference in the level of the teaching staff, in Korea there is a rotation system, according to which all teachers in public schools (it does not apply to private ones) cannot work all the time in the same school, but are periodically transferred from place to place. In this way, a constant “mixing” of the teaching corps is carried out and its approximate homogeneity is achieved throughout the country.

The principle of equality is strictly adhered to already at the elementary school level. All children must go to those and only those primary schools associated with their residential areas. As already stated, the Korean government makes every effort to provide approximately equal levels of education in all primary schools. However, there are certain deviations from this principle. The fact is that, in parallel with cheap public schools, where tuition fees are symbolic, there are also private elementary schools, where education is relatively expensive (about 150 thousand won or $130 per month of classes), but, on the other hand, is distinguished by the best quality. In private schools, teachers' salaries are higher, the equipment is better, and in addition to the subjects required for all schools, additional ones are widely taught. Many private elementary schools already teach English and hieroglyphic writing in the lower grades, which are not yet included in the programs of public elementary schools. The number of people wishing to enroll in private schools, despite their high cost, is quite large. Most Korean parents do not hesitate to spend at any cost when it comes to their children's education. Since there are two to three times more people wanting to get into primary private schools than there are places in them, the lucky ones are selected by lot. Those who, in the most literal sense of the word, did not have a lucky lot, go to ordinary public schools.

The second stage of school education is junior high school, which lasts three years. Second-level schools are more diverse than primary schools, but among them there is no such opposition between private and public schools as is typical for the first level. Both private and public high schools offer roughly the same level of education and charge roughly the same tuition.

The most prestigious type of secondary school is a school with in-depth study of certain subjects - a specialized school. There are few such schools, and students are selected there through competitive exams (for those familiar with Soviet and, especially, post-Soviet realities, I will specifically note - fair exams). The vast majority of elementary school graduates are sent to the secondary school to which their microdistrict is assigned, and those of them who, due to family circumstances, are forced to go to work in the near future, enter technical schools, the South Korean analogue of the former Soviet vocational schools.

To transfer to a third-level school (high school), which also lasts three years, it is necessary to pass exams, which, however, are not competitive. Since there are several types of third-level schools in Korea, before the exam, a second-level school graduate must choose which type of high school he would like to attend.

The most prestigious, again, are specialized schools, selection for which is carried out through difficult competitive exams, the integrity of which is strictly controlled by official authorities. These schools appeared relatively recently. All specialized schools are schools of the second and, more often, third level. As before, in Korea they prefer not to stratify younger schoolchildren. Special schools are few in number; only about one percent of all high school students attend them. There are four types of specialized schools: with in-depth study of foreign languages ​​(in 1993 there were 11 such schools in Korea), natural sciences (13 schools), art and music (16 schools) and sports (11 schools). The creation of these schools is a kind of experiment, but, as many now note, this experiment has generally justified itself. The share of graduates who entered university (and this indicator in Korea is decisive in assessing the effectiveness of any secondary school) in specialized schools is many times higher than in ordinary schools. Thus, in 1995, among applicants who successfully passed the exams at Seoul State University, graduates of specialized schools accounted for 16.2%, which is especially impressive if we remember that their share among all graduates does not exceed one percent.

However, the majority of junior high school graduates do not go to specialized schools, but to regular high schools, which also come in two types: general and practical. Each graduate must decide which of these types to give preference to, and only then he takes exams, the program of which is somewhat different for general and practical schools.

General schools, of which, by the way, there are noticeably more, are more prestigious educational institutions and are intended primarily to prepare their graduates for entering a university. There is also specialization within these schools: some students study natural science subjects, and some study humanities. Graduates of practical schools are supposed to go to work immediately after graduation, but in practice many of them also try their luck in university exams. Depending on what their graduates will do, practical schools are divided into 5 types: commercial, agricultural, industrial, fishing and marine and mixed. However, this is not exactly a Soviet vocational school, because a graduate of such a school has not only a theoretical, but also a very real opportunity to enter a university (most graduates of practical schools also try to do this).

The rise of the Korean economy since the post-war period convincingly proves that Korea can train first-class specialists for the heavy, engineering and electronics industries.

The demand for education in Korea in Europe and Asia has increased.

Korea ranks high according to international assessment programs comparing the quality of education in different countries.

According to the OECD ranking of 65 countries, it ranks third to sixth in terms of schooling for 14-year-olds. Among 59 countries, Korea confidently occupies the middle position in terms of higher education competitiveness.

The Korean government is implementing various programs aimed at improving the quality of education.

Classrooms in Korea are equipped with information technology, computer equipment and free 24-hour Internet access. Lectures are held in the form of presentations; teachers send all materials to students by email.

There are the required number of laboratories for practical classes. Foreign students undergo internships at prestigious factories in the country along with local students.

In South Korea, in addition to traditional training programs, intensive educational programs are being introduced.

A master's degree can be completed after a Korean university in one year, a bachelor's degree can be obtained at some universities in 3 years, although the traditional program is designed for 4 years.

It is possible to simultaneously obtain diplomas in two specialties, for example, pedagogy and computer science.

There are many Government based training programs offered.

Getting an education in Korea

The school year in Korea starts in March. The spring semester lasts 16 weeks and ends in June. After the holiday break in August, the autumn semester begins, which lasts until January.

In Korea, higher education institutions are divided into public and private.

Korean is the main language of instruction, but many Korean universities are introducing English-language specialist training programs to attract foreign students.

To enroll in higher-level state educational programs, you must successfully complete high school and an additional exam conducted by the University itself.

Private universities do not require passing a national test and do not conduct an additional examination in the subject for foreign students.

Also, recently, foreign students have been officially allowed to work part-time during their studies so that they can support themselves.

Cost and duration of training in Korea

Higher education in Korea is represented by the following levels:

• Bachelor's program is mastered by students in the amount of 140 – 150 hours over 4 years. In medical specialties, students study for 6 years and master the program in the amount of 180 credit hours;

• On master's programs Students are given from two to three years depending on the chosen specialty. The master's degree is awarded after defending a dissertation;

• In doctoral studies study up to 4 years. The doctor's degree is awarded after defending a dissertation and successfully passing oral examinations in the specialty.

Grant training is conducted in Korean or English.

Paid education in Korea is considered inexpensive compared to Europe. The cost of training per year in dollars ranges from 3 to 8 thousand.

Admission to Korean Universities for Russian Citizens

A lot of information about studying in Korea is available on Internet sources. There are specialized websites that post information about educational grants and admission rules.

There are training programs in which you can get two professions.

Preparation for admission:

1. A document confirming successful completion of the educational stage of the previous level, a notarized translation into Korean or English of this document.
2. An international certificate confirming good or Korean.

1. Application and resume in English or Korean. Very often, standard forms of these documents are posted on university websites. Translated and notarized copies of identification.
2. For bachelor's degrees, they may require a certificate of successful completion of the Unified State Exam, translated into the language of instruction and notarized.

If an applicant has received an invitation to study in Korea, it is necessary. The duration of the visa is determined by the course of study.

Preferably, then treatment in Korean clinics will cost much less. Some grants require payment for health insurance.

Prospects for graduates of Korean universities

Graduates from Korea are in demand in many countries, especially those who have received diplomas in computer technology, chemical industry, electronic business, and mechanical engineering.

In Korea itself, graduates of their universities are also valued.

Those of them who have received education in the specialties listed above can easily find work in Korea itself, for example, under the Goldcard program.

Certain countries have developed their own technologies for training specialists, which make them competitive in the educational services market. Korea certainly belongs to such countries.