[Opinion] Repechages

We put a label of `winners` or `losers` on young people who are only turning 20. Winners are those who successfully entered the so-called elite colleges and losers are those who failed. Since there are a limited number of students the elite schools can accommodate, most become losers who will suffer a big psychological blow. Even after they join some low-profile colleges, they continue to dream of being a student at an elite college. This is why an increasing number of college students apply for the second chance, an annual test held to allow students to change schools and majors. Young people call the test a `repechage,` which reflects skepticism and sarcasm they hold towards the society.

▷They are in their prime years at the age of 20. Min Tae-wan once wrote in his song `For the Young` that `shining priceless ideals are privileges granted only to young people.` It is outrageously absurd and inefficient, therefore, to give the stigma of being losers to young people, who make their first step towards the society full of dreams and passion in their hearts. Knowing that they will have to live through the rest of their lives with the stigma, they easily give up their dreams and get frustrated, rather than challenging the elite system of the society. Then, from which we will be able to get driving force of the society unless we fully utilize young passion and ambition?

▷Of course, there are elite colleges in other countries. Whether they graduate from elite schools or not is not an absolute standard for individuals, however. They do not get hurt because they fail to enter elite schools. Young college students here are free to choose where and what to study, but with a large number of students choosing to change schools, the whole education system is foundering. Some 59,000 students will move to new colleges this year. Whenever a new school season begins after the test, lecture rooms in local colleges become almost empty. Students who used to study there have moved to colleges in metropolitan and Seoul areas. Students who used to attend schools in metropolitan areas, in turn, are going to colleges based in Seoul. Watching empty rooms, colleges and professors lose their will to build good college communities and teach students.

▷Students are not the only ones to be blamed, however. Businesses give the cold shoulder to graduates from local colleges. Professors hardly hesitate to think again when they get an offer from an elite school. It is welcoming therefore that president-elect Roh now says he will invest a lot of effort in fostering local colleges. Yet, there is long way to go for the new government to turn the deserted area into a land of fertility. In the meantime, we only find it hard to cheer up those young people who fail at the repechage, for which competition rate reaches as high as dozens to one.

Hong Chan-shik, Editorial Writer, chansik@donga.com