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[Editorial] We Should Free Ourselves from the High School Egalitarianism

[Editorial] We Should Free Ourselves from the High School Egalitarianism

Posted February. 23, 2004 22:50,   

한국어

The Korea Development Institute (KDI) presented the analysis result produced with evidence, which reverses the existing research results about high school egalitarian policy. According to new research, non-egalitarian high schools improved students’ grade ‘evenly better’ than did egalitarian high schools, regardless if the student is among the upper or lower tiers.

Accordingly, our assertion, that the boring argument over the high school egalitarianism policy is no longer meaningless, is re-confirmed. We should stop evasion, that there is no evidence that the high school egalitarianism policy deteriorated students’ scholastic ability, and look for public education post-egalitarianism.

Schools, to be sure, are places not just for studying but also for building up character. However, the primary purpose of public education is helping students to foster potential ability and to train for social life. This is more important in the global age, when not only the economy but also national destiny will be under the control of human resources. Now, after it is clarified which education policy will be for the global age, we cannot waste our time owing to the blind egalitarianism and worship it.

The improvement of non-egalitarian high school students was because students chose the school and the school provided specialized education to students. Therefore, teachers were able to provide efficient education according to student’s ability, and schools improved themselves to attract more qualified students.

The reform of education should move toward where the quality of public education can be improved. The standardized government intervention about the policy regarding curriculum, teacher, and organization, from special school to private school, holds back the development of education. Though not to go back to 30 years ago, before-egalitarianism, we should build the major premise of the mitigation of regulation and the recovery of school self-regulation system. We should present epoch-making policy about the egalitarianism, including expanded options about private school for students and parents.