Obama lauds S. Korea's education system

Published : Mar 9, 2011 - 10:18 Updated : Mar 9, 2011 - 10:18

U.S. President Barack Obama Tuesday called on the U.S. to benchmark South Korea in rebuilding the country through educational reform.

"In South Korea, teachers are known as 'nation builders,'" Obama said during a classroom visit at Tech Boston Academy in Massachusetts' capital city.

"That's how they're described. Here in America, it's time we treated the people who educate our children with the same level of respect. We've got to lift up teachers. We've got to reward good teachers. Also, we also have to stop
making excuses for bad teachers."

U.S. President Barack Obama (AP-Yonhap News)

   It is the second time since January that Obama lauded education in South Korea. In his nationally televised State of the Union address in January, Obama made similar remarks.

   "Let's also remember that after parents, the biggest impact on
a child's success comes from the man or woman at the front of the
classroom," he said.

"In South Korea, teachers are known as 'nation builders.'"

Since his visit to Seoul in 2009, Obama has often talked about the education fervor that contributed to South Korea's rapid economic development in recent decades, and has deplored the underperformance of American students, especially in math and science.

   Obama has called for the U.S. to look to South Korea in adopting longer school days and after-school programs for American children to help them survive global competition, while he has lamented a high school dropout rate that has tripled in the past 30 years. (Yonhap News)