1. Resolving the Challenges & Problems of the Educational System
“There is no country that spends or values education as much as South Korea.”
Challenge:
“Korea needs to move from top-down training towards true education.”
“There is a need for educational reform.”

2. Educational Reform
The educational system is not preparing students towards a knowledge economy.
The educational system is not preparing students for the competitive global economy of the 21st century.
3. The hierarchic educational system does not give opportunity to move up (social mobility).

3. Why Education Matters
“ Education is the dominant competitive weapon of the 21st century”
- Economist Lester Thurow
“as our education system is in a state of crisis, so is our nation.”
- Korean commentator

4. Why Education Matters
1. China “Korea cannot compete with regards to resources (human & capital).” “To stay ahead of China, Korea’s students need to be more knowledgeable, open, creative, and critical.”

5. Why Education Matters
2. Chaebol “The future generations will have to be educated to transform the chaebol into global powerhouses.”

6. Why Education Matters
3. Non-Chaebol companies “The creation of new businesses (start ups) will depend on vibrant and globally competitive universities training the future entrepreneurs of tomorrow.”

7. Why Education Matters
Foreign Investment “Foreign investors rank Korea’s human capital as the top reason for investing in Korea.” “As wages continue to increase, labor productivity will have to keep up.” “World-class education is the most important way to achieve that goal.”

8. History of Korea’s education system
Confucianism
The use of examination system to select suitable
candidates based on merit instead of birth.
Early education system had its roots in China
(Joseon dynasty, yangban)
Foreign influences minimal
Not until 1882 that King Gojong opened
educational system to state-run schools to
all citizens of all classes

9. Education in Korea
“No student anywhere spends as many years in school as do Koreans.”
“12.3 years, the highest among all OECD (Organization
for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries.”

10. Education in Korea
“No country spends as much money on education, at 8.2 % of GDP (Gross Domestic Product).”
“ No parents anywhere spend more money on the private education of their children, at 3.4 percent of GDP.”
“ Korean mums and dads spend 50% more than U.S. parents.”

11. The Problem
Korean trained human resources are not globally competitive.
Korean educational system classifies students based on exam results, not individual strengths or talents.
Korean educational system does not allow for social mobility.
The education system allows for a lot of cheating and bribery.
The educational system creates elitist groups that prevent social mobility for others.

12. The Problem Highly trained, but uneducated labor force.
- ‘‘Forming of habits of thought and behavior by discipline and instruction.’’
- “Training based on right and wrong answers, right and wrong behavior”
e.g. copying faster and better than anyone else, multiple choice exams.
Multiple Choice exams
*For Korea to move ahead, students need to be educated, not trained.”

13. The Problem
Highly trained, but uneducated labor force Continued… “According to recent reports, Korean companies spend on average 20 months and 62 million won per new recruit to retrain them for their jobs.”

14. The Problem Highly trained, but uneducated labor force Continued…
A. Lack of critical thinking and problem-solving skills
-One foreign executive said, “Koreans do too much analysis and too little thinking. ”
B. Lack of communication skills
- Koreans’ single biggest weakness is their lack of communication skills.
- having gone through more than 15 years of discipline (top- down routine at school), many Koreans find it difficult to engage in discussion or logically present their views

15. The Problem Highly trained, but uneducated labor force Continued…
C. Lack of diversity
-Today’s most successful economies prosper
through the diversity of their people, ideas and
skills.
- The homogeneity of Korean society is reinforced
training system that favors conformity over
creativity.

16. The Problem Elite or Mafia? SKY
To reach SKY , it becomes easier if you went through prestigious high schools, traditional older institutions such as Kyunggi High School, but increasingly specialized science or foreign language high schools.
This path creates connections between people of that group which often restricts membership. If the system restricts flexibility, new talent with a variety of backgrounds restricts creativity and openness.

17. The Problem Elite or Mafia? CREATING WORLD-CLASS UNIVERSITIES FOR
A WORLD-CLASS ECONOMY
“Great economies need great universities”
“Universities hold the key for building world-class
human resources”

18. The Problem Elite or Mafia
“Korea has no university among the world’s leading 100.”
“Graduates from Korea’s top universities may fly SKY high
in Korea, but count little overseas.”

19. The Problem Promoting world-class universities, demoting government
The Korean government has been highly involved in guiding Korea’s universities.
Government defines standards for university entrance admissions.
Globally competitive universities require flexibility.
The world’s leading universities which are located in the U.S. enjoy independence from government.

20. The Problem Learning to learn
“For Korean students, university is a welcome break after years of examination hell and they spend much less time studying than their counterparts in other countries.”
“Students at leading Korean universities spend more time socializing, studying for civil service exams, or just sitting back.”

21. The Problem
Brain Drain “An ever increasing amount of Koreans are studying abroad.”

22. Achieving Korea’s Full Potential
“ Korea’s schools and universities require radical change.” “They need to change from training camps towards education institutions” “ Flexibility and openness needed in the educational system.”

23. Terminology Quiz Human Resources: Brain Drain: Elite: Homogeneity:
- Is a person, people or employee who staffs and operate a function within
an organization.
Brain Drain:
- The loss of skilled intellectual and technical labor through the movement
of such labor to more favorable geographic, economic regions.
Elite:
- The elite is a relatively small dominant group within a large
society.
Homogeneity:
- The quality of being of the same or similar
nature or kind: "a tight-knit, homogeneous society" (James Fallows).

24. Terminology Quiz
5. Discipline:
- Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior.
Bribery:
- Something, such as money or a favor, offered or
given to a person in a position of trust to influence that person's views
or conduct.
- Something serving to influence or persuade
Networking:
- Making use of professional contacts.

25. Terminology Quiz 8. Aristocracy: -A hereditary ruling class; nobility.
9. Top-Down:
- Of or relating to a hierarchical structure or
process that progresses from a large, basic unit
to smaller, detailed subunits: a top-down description
of the department's function.
10. Sit Back:
- Relax, as in Now that the work's finished, we can just
sit back