One of the most intense topics in South Korea that are being discussed nowadays is the abolition of specialized high schools. Mainly mentioned by the democratic party, they claimed that students who go to specialized high schools are receiving more benefits compared to students who go to normal high schools. Then, is this really the truth?

▲ The minister of education announcing the abolishing specialized high schools

     Students who are interested in studying tend to go to specialized high schools. After entering these high schools, they study much harder than most high school students. Going to better universities, therefore, seems so obvious. However, politicians in the current democratic party said that extra curriculum in specialized high schools puts the Korean education system into inequality. Although extra-curriculum may help students to pass, it is students' responsibility to study on their own. Moreover, an accusation that student reports written in specialized high schools are much better than those written in normal high schools is complete nonsense. In normal high schools, students who want to learn certain unpopular subjects have to go to another school to attend classes. This problem is made due to the government's unstable and failed education policy. Therefore, hiring more teachers who are able to teach unpopular subjects should be the government's first priority.

▲ The graph showing public opinion on the abolishing all specialized high schools in South Korea

     There are also science high schools and some other types of high schools which were built by the government. Students in those schools also tend to study a lot, resulting in going to famous universities. However, government officials usually tackle only about specialized high schools, which are usually built by private investors. Even if the government takes out specialized high schools, educational inequality cannot be demolished since private education is so popular in South Korea. Therefore, cutting down private education seems like a better way to achieve educational equality.

November 23rd, 2019

by Minsu Chung