Comments on: Education Fever: Society, Politics, and The Pursuit of Schooling in South Korea by Michael J. Seth

By: gordsellar

gordsellar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:20:17 +0000

Well, I can tell you that there is government control of private universities, in that their charters can be revoked. (There was a big buzz about that a few years ago, when I was working elsewhere.)

I don’t know how much money comes from the government to these “private” places, but I do know that they generate money in various ways: tuition is a major one, though lots of the implement other programs as well. (Summer camps of various types, for example.) I don’t think alumni donations are a big part of the money, but I do think they sign exclusivity contracts with various companies, and have other deals on the side as well.

It varies from place to place. One commonality is that with enrollment down everywhere, money is getting “tighter.” Which translates in most institutions to cutbacks in faculty, quality of facilities, limits on enrollment, and so on. That’s unsurprising, since anyway Koreans are accustomed to teacher:student ratios and classroom conditions that would blow your average Westerner’s mind. (I’ve heard similar things about Japan, as well.)

As for private high schools, I know the tuition is expensive, but I don’t know if any income flows in from alumni. My impression, though, is that the best schools are quite expensive… and quite lucrative as businesses.

By: trevor

trevor — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:16:08 +0000

Montessori, I hadn’t heard of that so I did a quick search and found a website for a Montessori program in Korea. Although it didn’t say if a school has been established here. About private schools in Korea, it seems like they’re private in name only. With a handful of public, ‘national’ universities and the rest private, where the heck do all these private universities get funding? I can’t imagine very much is self-generated or from alumni donations… I suspect the government gives quite a bit funding to private schools, and if they do it makes you question how ‘private’ a private school really is.

By: gordsellar

gordsellar — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 10:12:48 +0000

As far as I know, the national level — specifically the Ministry of Education (MOE)– is directly responsible for the majority of general curriculum decisions, with more specific decisions (like, say, which textbook to use) dependent on both national mandates (textbook-approval by the MOE) and local decisions (a selection made on a school-by-school basis about which of the approved texts to use).

I know less about private schools but would imagine they have to abide by the national curricular and other guidelines; I’m not sure how much more freedom they have with textbook choices or alternative course offering.

One thing I’d love to know more about is alternative schooling, which apparently is making gradual inroads here. I think I even heard of a Montessori primary school here, though I might be misremembering.

By: trevor

trevor — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 09:22:52 +0000

Thanks for the review, I look forward to reading the book soon. Are education policies usually made at the national level in Korea? In the U.S. presidential candidates always say how they’re going to change education, make it better, but that talk is always b.s. because education isn’t changed at the national level but rather at the state level. To see how legislation at the national level doesn’t work in the U.S. just consider the disaster of Bush’s No Child Left Behind act. Perhaps Korea, being much smaller and not as diverse as the U.S., can use national legislation for education more effectively than can be done in the U.S. Anyway, Lee Myung Bak fails at his own language and yet promotes English – that’s classic.

By: gordsellar

gordsellar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:52:36 +0000

Yeah, it is. I decided it was worth it when I read good things about it, but if it were in the Uni library I’d have been happier. That said, it’s a keeper. (At least, while I live and work here it is.)

By the way, I tried to comment on your post of my review here, and the comment function failed. I was not authorized to do that, or something. I’ve emailed you about it, but in case you check here first, thanks for your kind words. Glad someone appreciated the review.

By: EFL Geek

EFL Geek — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 07:11:20 +0000

that’s a pretty steep price. Will look in the library.

By: gordsellar

gordsellar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:13:43 +0000

Thanks, EFL Geek!

I got the book used on Abebooks.com, and even so, it cost me $50.00 (plus shipping from the US). Check your University’s library, though… I know it’s in the stacks in several Seoul Unis, including Seoul University, and it may well be at yours too.

My edition, frustratingly enough, was given away by the Korea Foundation, so someone who got it for absolutely free sold it online for $50!

By: EFL Geek

EFL Geek — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:58:45 +0000

Gord,
This review is truly outstanding. Where did you buy this book? I want to go to the bookstore right now and get it so I can start reading.