[Weekender] ‘Elite education vital to help students reach their full potential’
The debate over gifted education in Korea is generally played out between two sides: Opponents argue the special education program is tailored for the select few and undermines the principle of equal opportunity, while others see the programs as a chance to foster smart minds who can lead the nation.
An expert in gifted education agrees with the latter. Suh Ye-won, director of the state-run National Research Center for Gifted and Talented Education, says such education can achieve a true sense of equal opportunity by helping talented students reach their full potential.
“Though the previous form of gifted education is only for those students who excel academically, it is now about encouraging students with different talents to achieve their full potential. We are working to find those students and give them a chance to develop those talents,” Suh said in an interview with The Korea Herald.
“The purpose of gifted education is to give tailored education to different people. Giving the same education to students with different gifts is not an equal education. According to the Constitution Article 31 Clause 1, everyone is entitled to equal education according to their talent,” she said.
The director noted that the government’s involvement is the unique part of the nation’s gifted education.
In 2000, lawmakers enacted the Promotion Act for the Gifted and Talented Education, a law that paved way for the government to build schools and programs dedicated to gifted students.
The recruiting process for gifted students is another distinctive feature, Suh added. She noted that Korea’s gifted education involved tailored tests and teachers’ recommendations, different from those of other countries that use a cognitive test to determine the students’ advanced ability.
Education for gifted children is provided in three forms: gifted classes, gifted education centers and gifted schools. The first two are similar to extracurricular activities while the third is a full-time high school.
Suh also refuted criticisms that gifted schools fan public fervor over private education by compelling eager parents and students to undergo immense cramming to pass the schools’ admissions tests.
“There is no mathematical evidence to supports the claim that gifted schools contributed to the soaring amount of private education. In Korea, private education is for college admission, not for gifted education,” said Suh, arguing that the school’s admission test is too creative for the crammers to catch up with.
“The nation should focus more on gifted education’s positive aspects than the negative ones. It is absurd to abandon the education altogether out of fear that it might cater to a few free riders who could have received private education,” she said.
Among the benefits of gifted education, she highlighted that it could discover marginalized but talented students with little access to the advanced education. The government regulation mandates that 10 percent of the gifted schools’ seats must be filled by underprivileged students.
“There are many talented students with much potential who are deprived of opportunity for education. We need to find these kids and push them to reach their full potential,” she said.
By Yeo Jun-suk(jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)
相关推荐
-
Michael Cohen fights Donald Trump at the Supreme Court.
-
Samsung allegedly plans to unveil new Galaxy S smartphones at CES
-
Nick Clegg says Facebook to open another 'war room' to fight fake news
-
文化和自然遗产日,来青岛博物馆看拓片展、听古琴讲座
-
17 Places That Harness the Power of the Sun
-
[Photo News] Early voting despite virus fears
- 最近发表
-
- 10 Big Misconceptions About Computer Hardware
- 'Metroid Prime 4' development restarts after two years
- Moon holds out hope for overcoming COVID
- Federal judge to Republican National Committee: Are you violating the consent decree?
- Keurig K Mini deal — get $30 off at Target
- Masculinity is having a moment
- Giuliani brags about connections to reactionary FBI agents.
- Alabama secretary of state says more voting would cheapen the work of civil rights heroes.
- Tesla reveals Cybertruck has sold more than DeLorean
- Russian delegation arrives in Pyongyang for trade, science talks: KCNA
- 随机阅读
-
- 两个改造提升项目进入收尾阶段
- New Poll: Democrats really hate Vladimir Putin.
- Federal judge to Republican National Committee: Are you violating the consent decree?
- Liverpool face Chelsea test as Manchester clubs enter fray
- Smiley face on Mars is a telltale sign of its past
- 廊桥头设临时停车场 市民认为存安全隐患
- The polar vortex will return, and bring the coldest temps of the year
- 龙尾峡隧道贯通 国庆节前形成通车能力
- Ruling bloc divided on foreign nannies' pay
- New Apple Holiday ad pushes iPhone X and AirPods, but not much magic
- Evan Bayh’s Senate lead has disappeared for obvious reasons.
- New York attorney general is investigating Apple over FaceTime bug
- 高温难耐,工会驿站化身“清凉小屋”
- 70% of coronavirus patients fully recovered
- The majority of Trump supporters surveyed described black people as “less evolved.”
- Trump's Russian income is not being mocked at all. With few exceptions.
- Tesla reveals Cybertruck has sold more than DeLorean
- 青岛市2023年绿色出行宣传月和公交出行宣传周系列活动启动
- Smart toys that talk to kids are often full of security flaws
- Trump's Russian income is not being mocked at all. With few exceptions.
- 搜索
-
- 友情链接
-