Schooling to Be Qualified without Licensing Examination

From 2004, adults, who have little schooling due to their family circumstances, may be able to get certificates for elementary school or junior high school after finishing a certain educational course.

Students who are in the first year course of junior high school in the lifelong education agencies for schooling certification will be exempted from school expenses from this year, and workers can get a mater`s degree through Cyber College on the Internet from 2004.

The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MOE) outlined the `lifelong education promoting plan` on the 28th as above, and announced that it would continue the supporting project for alienated classes and extending opportunities for higher education for adults for 5 years until 2006.

MOE estimated that illiterate adults who are unable to read written words or road signs make up 20 percent while literacy is high with 96 percent compulsory education attendance. MOE decided to certify elementary school or junior high school graduation without licensing examination if one finishes a regulated course in a civil college, a civil education center or a private educational institute for school license.

In addition, the Air and Correspondence high school will operate as a substitute school by receiving students who have difficulties in adapting to a regular high school, and opening a 2nd foreign language course for ordinary high school students.

MOE announced, "We will improve the quality of education by alloting more full-time professors for lifelong education institutes affiliated to colleges. And we are examining the measure to merge the credit bank system and degree by self-education system that recognizes the certification officially approved by public or civil institutes as credits."

Meanwhile, MOE decided to make local office of education and local government promote life-long education by establishing 30 `life-long education towns` by 2006, which link schools, local offices of education and social educational institutes.

inchul@donga.com