[Opinion] Performance-Based Schooling

A report released by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology suggested that offering students performance-based classes significantly benefit their academic achievement. This was the result of the study in which students were administered different classes based on their results from an achievement test for elementary and junior high school students conducted April last year. It is said that having classes according to academic performance was a great success regardless of students’ previous achievement levels. Meanwhile, schools without these performance-based classes showed no progress.

One of the disadvantages of the standardized education is the fact that there is no room for schooling based on student performances in this education system. Under the pretext of stifling the overheated competition among schools, students have no choice but to follow the unproductive and uniformed education policy provided without considering wide gaps in students’ academic achievement. In this regard, students in advanced levels are bound to lose their interest in class and waste their time, while those with a long learning curve only find the courses too challenging. Teachers may face difficulties administering the subject, not knowing exactly which level they should provide for the students.

At the moment, in this country, mathematics or English classes for junior high school and high school students can be divided to more than three classes, not according to age but according to students’ level of achievement. On Thursday, Korea`s Ministry of Education and Science Technology announced new measures to free elementary and middle schools from state control and give more discretion to local education authorities and schools. Some public outcry followed the release of the report, believing the plan would set students striving for superiority with one another. Not a few of those in their mature age or older would have experienced such fierce competition in their school days. A poster containing the student rankings of standing in the class and seat arrangements based on the achievement may still be a trauma for some.

To state the conclusion first, there are big differences between the performance-based and superiority-based classes. The former one is a custom-tailored class that is to provide by subjects. As seen in the Japanese cases, the education method was proved to mutually benefit students in both ends of the performance spectrum. Being excellent in one subject does not necessarily mean he or she can excel in other subjects too. Allowing students in similar levels to have a class in which they can compete and focus will lead to an overall increase in their academic achievement. Those who suffered the nightmare of competition-driven performance should realize today’s education environment is much different. They should drop their opposition to the proposed plan that could improve the scholastic ability of the next generations.

Editorial Writer Chung Seong-hee (shchung@donga.com)