The Korea Herald

Colleges to simplify admission rules; test to include history

Aug 27, 2013

The government is seeking a number of changes to the college admissions system including simplifying selection processes and making history a mandatory subject. The Ministry of Education on Tuesday announced measures to improve the admission rules to be applied for the 2017 academic year. One of the key outlines of the plan is to streamline the number of application forms and methods used differently by colleges in admitting students.Currently, admission criteria vary from college to college and
Korea trains Afghan teachers

Aug 21, 2013

Korea is aiming to help improve the quality of education in Afghanistan by offering Afghan teachers a chance to learn the education system here.Thirty-two educators, including three women, from Afghanistan are currently participating in a teacher-training program at Hanyang University in Seoul, the school said.The training is part of a larger program run jointly by the Korea International Cooperation Agency and the university’s Research Institute for Global Education and Leadership as the govern
Ministry to offer scholarships to high school graduates

Aug 21, 2013

The government plans to offer state scholarships and benefits to high school graduates for overseas training in an effort to provide more job opportunities for young people.Under the current system, only college and university graduates can apply for the state overseas scholarships.The Ministry of Education said Monday that it would revise the rule to make it possible for vocational high school graduates and extend the overseas scholarship term to up to three years from the current six months.Vo
Ministry reconsiders NEAT for college admission

Aug 21, 2013

Criticism is mounting over the efficiency and quality of the new state-administered English proficiency test, putting a strain on the government’s initial plan to use it for college admission.By introducing the National English Ability Test in 2012, the government sought to substitute the English section of the state-run College Scholastic Ability Test from 2016.The plan, however, has been met with criticism from teachers and parents groups, who claim the government is implementing the new test
Campaign draws support for mandatory history test for college

Aug 19, 2013

More than 100,000 people have signed up in support of plans to enhance history education at schools, including making the subject test compulsory for college admission, reports said.Sungshin Women’s University professor Seo Kyoung-duk first launched a petition campaign in June, urging the government to require all students take Korean history on the national College Scholastic Ability Test. Seo, who has actively promoted Korea overseas on many issues, including Dokdo and comfort women, said the
Ministry streamlines funding for graduate students

Aug 15, 2013

The Ministry of Education has slimmed down its funding program for graduate students, concentrating support on promising researchers. The ministry said on Thursday it finalized the recipients of the Brain Korea 21 grants aimed at enhancing graduate schools. Over the next seven years, it will provide financial support totaling 252.6 billion won ($226 million) per year to more than 18,000 students in 64 graduate schools. Graduate students from the schools will receive research scholarships of 600,
Ministry to overhaul elite private schools

Aug 14, 2013

Education Ministry draws up reform plans in the wake of successive scandals
S. Korea to pilot digital textbook program at schools next year

Aug 14, 2013

South Korea plans to conduct a pilot program to use digital textbooks at hundreds of elementary and middle schools around the country during the 2014 school year, the education ministry said Wednesday.Digital social studies and science textbooks are being developed for third- and fourth-year students of elementary schools and first- or second-year middle school students, it said.Some 150 elementary and 300 middle schools around the country have been chosen to use the new type of textbooks in the
BIS Canada pupils excel at British Columbia test

Aug 7, 2013

Students from BIS Canada have continued to excel on British Columbia’s provincial exam, the school announced.Located in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, the BIS Canada School is the first school here certified by the British Columbia Ministry of Education in Canada.The examinations are held annually, and all grade 10-12 students who study the provincial curriculum participate in the examination session.The latest standardized test results show that a majority of BIS Canada’s 10th and 11th graders sco
An evangelist of science, humanities convergence

Aug 7, 2013

Biologist Choe calls for change to system to foster interdisciplinary studies
Ministry vows to stamp out unauthorized English camps

Aug 6, 2013

The government pledged Tuesday to take stern disciplinary measures against unlicensed English immersion camps run by private and state-run universities here.The Ministry of Education said it would check all schools across the country, close unregistered programs, and impose severe punishment against schools that keep breaking the rules.The announcement came amid a growing number of English-learning boarding camps that are emerging as alternatives for students who cannot afford to go overseas for
The meaning of happiness in our children’s education

Jul 31, 2013

A friend of mine told me one day that there has been an increase in the number of students, ranging from elementary to high school, who have been paying visits to child psychiatrists. Completely appalled by this news, I researched deeper to find that the number of students visiting professionals for mental treatment within the last two years has tripled and approximately 14.8 percent of the total student population in Korea is relying on professional assistance, according to the research done by
Jeju aims to become Asia’s education hub

Jul 31, 2013

The government will extend its support to Jeju to establish an international education city on the island, officials announced.In 2008, Jeju launched the Jeju Global Education City project to absorb demand for overseas study by creating a world-class educational environment for both Korean and foreign students.The project, which started with a budget of 1.78 trillion won ($1.6 billion), was originally due for completion in 2015. But the government decided recently to extend it until 2021, follow
Concerns mount over school history education

Jul 31, 2013

Government, ruling party vow to test all students on history for college admission
All high schools to offer free education by 2017

Jul 30, 2013

All South Korean high schools will offer free education by 2017, the government said Tuesday, in line with President Park Geun-hye's pledge to tackle education issues ahead of her inauguration.Under the plan, the government will gradually increase the number of local high schools providing free education starting next year, making all schools offer expense-free education by 2017, according to the presidential office and the ruling Saenuri Party.The move came as Park said her government will incr