The ratio of graduate students from technical high schools who advance to four-year universities continues to rise. According to Seoul Board of Education statistics released Monday, this year 13.2 percent of technical high school graduates went on to four-year universities, 3 percent higher than 2004. If you include those who went to two-year colleges then around half of such graduates are continuing with their education. In North Chungbuk Province 67 percent are continuing to institutions of higher education, so it is a national trend.
Education officials say it is a result of changes in university entrance testing procedures, which now have an "explore jobs" section. The changes were adopted to help technical high schools stay in operation. As a result there is a sudden interest in technical high schools as seen in how the number of middle school students trying to get into Seoul's technical high schools has surpassed their entrance quotas for the first time in 7 years. Thought needs to be given to whether all the interest is really a good thing because some people seem to think technical high schools are an easier way to get into university, and because the curricula at those high schools could end up focusing on university entrance.
If you look at the details, however, it is hard to say the trend is entirely a positive one. According to statistics made public at a debate held by the "Citizens Together for Education" at the end February only 6 percent of the technical high school students who entered colleges in 2004 went to study the same subjects. These students accounted for only 1.7 percent of the entrants at four-year national universities. In other words, most of them went to two-year colleges or to areas of study at four-year institutions they originally had nothing to do with.
Korea has a widespread problem with every higher expectations about a person's level of education and finding jobs is hard for high school graduates when university graduates are having to satisfy themselves with ever less impressive employment, so one cannot blame technical high school students for seeking to go to university. What would be most desirable to see, however, would not be unconditionally going on to university but instead being trained to be professionals with practical ability as a result of what was learned in high school. Young people will grow up to be the technical manpower that is the strength behind the Korean economy. Going on to university without thinking about it does not make finding employment easier.
The Hankyoreh, 5 April 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Technical HS Students and University Education |
