Government Takes on a “Science Genius” Education Program

The government plans to scout “the brightest of the brightest” children and systematically manage these genius kids.

The Ministry of Science and Technology announced on Tuesday that a “science wonder-child program” is underway to select genius children of school-age or younger with gifted talents in science and specially train them.

An official of the ministry said, “One in every one million children in the same age group is a science wonder kid. Every wonder child will be put in the hands of a special management team of four or five people consisting of parents, professors, and teachers.”

The program gained momentum when news broke out about Song Yu-geun, who finished the six-year curriculum of elementary school in just three months and passed the certificate examination for high school entrance this May at the age of seven. There is not yet a specialized program in place for genius kids in the third grade or younger, not to mention wonder kids like Song.

wolfkim@donga.com