—
If you search for the world’s strongest or hardest education system, the top result will always be the same—South Korea. The structure and execution of their academic exploits are copied by countries trying to make similar strides in education. Many would consider Finland to have the best teaching system in the world. The two countries have different ways of preparing their kids. Yet, when we rank their students on PISA exams, the two countries attain results. So, what makes their system so superior?
Getting Parents Involved in Their Children’s Education
The first thing that the South Koreans are doing right is getting the parents involved in the education of their children. Aside from the financial investments that the government pours into the education sector, parents are significantly chipping in, as well. On average, parents in the nation spend about 15% of their income on helping their kids through school. In fact, others go the extra mile of spending about a quarter of what they earn to supplement the studies of their children.
The added perks that their earnings buy include more educational materials and tutoring in private schools after the child comes from their normal one. It is common to find students, after a 9-5 class, attending extra classes that go on until 10 in the night.
Employing Technology in Our School System
Technology can offer both students and teachers numerous advantages in the education landscape. Now you can take up a full college course without going to a classroom. Educational content can be found on online repositories that are accessed from anywhere. These days, tests are conducted over the internet. Moreover, an instructor can issue and assignment and receive submissions from their students without needed to meet up physically. This makes technology a sharp tool to carve out efficiency in our schooling system.
South Korea is among the global leaders in terms of integrating technology into their school curriculums. Their schools are teaming with smart gadgets that aid both teachers and students in the teaching process. Hence, a teacher can design a lesson plan that carefully considers the different learning styles of their students. For instance, teaching a student how to become a brilliant essay writer can be done with various aids. Pictures, audio, and some practical lessons can be quickly done through technology.
Instilling a Culture of Academic Success
South Korean culture heavily emphasizes education achievement. After high school, students in the country must complete an entrance exam to determine the college that they will attend afterward. This test is taken very seriously by the students, teachers, parents, and government. In fact, the entire country goes to great lengths to adjust its daily activities to accommodate this crucial time. For instance, planes are forbidden to fly overhead the examination centers. Plus, this happens annually.
This culture of approaching education places South Korea at the head of the pack. Although some Asian countries can boast of having such an ethos engrained in their population, they still fall short of the mark South Korea has set. This is because their system does not solely rely on having a philosophy of academic achievement. Instead, it is the collection of the factors discussed above that create one of the most robust education systems in the world.
In any case, other countries are still capable of emulating the feat achieved by South Korea. We can do this by trying to adhere to the following:
- We should do away with cumbersome traditional methods of teaching. Striving to change the lesson plans that teachers create for their classes can go a long way to improve student engagement.
- Teachers should receive adequate support from the government and parents. Encouraging them to reach for higher goals ends up improving the education system.
- Continually motivating kids to do better in school can also help. The South Korean attitude towards education is one of its most significant advantages. However, trying to implement their stringent commitment to academic excellence may not be ideal. It is vital to recognize that there are vast differences in the background of every student. Still, we can try to give our kids some positive affirmations so that they are encouraged to pursue education.
- Governments should strive to ensure that each learning center is on par with the rest of the world in terms of using technology. Improving our education infrastructure can help standardize the teaching quality that every student has access to.
There is still plenty of room at the top for each nation to occupy in terms of providing excellent education to the future generations. However, there is still a lot we need to do to reach the level that South Korea currently occupies. Technology and government support can help us reduce the gap and give our students a fair opportunity to excel in academia.
—
This content is sponsored by Daniil Balabushkin.
Photo: Shutterstock