11th April 2011 9:00
By Blue Tutors
The South Korean government has announced that it intends to target ‘cram schools’ to reduce the county’s reliance on private tuition. In a report on the Washington Post’s website it’s explained that South Korean residents spend relatively more on private tuition than any other country in the world – nearly half of the government’s education budget, and the government would like to reduce this figure by restoring hope in public education.
It’s thought that the reason so many people in South Korea hire a tutor is exactly because so many people hire a tutor. There is massive competition among students in the standardised tests for university and college entrance, and many parents think that without a tutor it’s impossible to win a place at an elite college or university.
The demand has created a large number of tuition schools and agencies, and the government’s concern is that these schools can charge extortionate amounts, and make unreasonable demands on students. Many people in the education system are worried that the tuition improves students’ scores on tests, but doesn’t nurture creativity, and so isn’t developing valuable skills needed in the country.
The government have imposed a 10pm curfew on tuition sessions to reduce the amount of tutoring that takes place well into the night. They have also begun to change the examination system in the country, moving towards a more subjective selection process for colleges and universities to encourage parents to think more about their child’s all-round abilities, and not simply their scores in Maths or English.