High Schools to Conduct Supplement and Self Study Until 10 P.M.

Among the academic appraisal system of high and middle schools scattered throughout the Seoul metropolitan area, the ratio of achievement evaluation will be increased from the current 15 percent level to 30 percent. The supplemental classes and self-study will be permitted to be carried out until 10 p.m. In addition, the younger students from Seoul-area elementary schools will be allowed to stay in school for protection purposes until 7 p.m.

The Seoul Office of Education disclosed the “School Education Normalization Measures” on February 25 and plans to conduct these measures from this semester at the earliest.

As this measure receives the strong support from the Ministry of Education as a practical scheme for realizing the governmental policy of reducing the extracurricular expenses on-the-spot, there is a high possibility for it to materialize and it is expected to influence other cities and provinces.

“In order to allow every student to benefit from a high quality educational service, we will alter the method of school education,” remarked by Yoo In-jong, the chief of Seoul office of Education.

The Seoul Office of Education has decided to preferentially increase the ratio of achievement evaluation into the 30 percent level in accordance with the subjects taken as a means of strengthening the evaluation of the educational activities.

For the high schools which apply for the supplemental, freedom, and mobile classes, they will be permitted to conduct these classes until 10 p.m. In this case, the regular school teachers will take charge of these classes, not the teachers from private cram schools. High school students can be exchanged to join the class of “second foreign language” in neighboring schools.

As soon as the result of model management of the private independent school comes out in 2005, the Seoul Office of Education will consider whether or not to introduce the independent high school in Seoul. It has already decided to improve the management method and entrance examination of the science and foreign language high schools. As for foreign language high schools, it should no longer select students based on the “comprehensive evaluation” and mathematics questions.

From this April, regarding the students in the first to third year of elementary school, they can be taken care by childcare teachers until 7 p.m. in the school for a monthly 58,000 won fee.

aryssong@donga.com