Koreans and education

One of the most important features of Korea and Korean society is the cult of education. Not that this is quite a specific Korean phenomenon. A similar attitude towards education exists in the whole Far East – both in Japan, and in China, and in Vietnam, although, however, in those countries where the communist parties are in power, it is not so pronounced. It’s not by chance that in the leading Western (first of all – American) universities on the natural science faculties now they will simply not see the white persons – everything is completely the Chinese, Koreans and Vietnamese (the Japanese is not enough, they are mostly learning at home, and we are going to the West Already in graduate school). Sometimes – these are recent immigrants, more often – children of immigrants or students who have come there to learn. I remember how I watched this picture first in America – in Honolulu, at the University of Hawaii, and then in Canberra, in Australian State University.

By the way, in English-speaking countries, naturally scientific faculties are most popular among East Asian emigration? The answer is simple: there it is necessary to work there, and a typical indigenous American work is working, in general, it is not particularly accustomed, it is more sporting in school more sports, yes Romanov turns. There are, of course, exceptions, but these exceptions are talented indigenous Americans – usually go to the medical or law faculties, that is, where, after graduation, they will almost certainly nourish the long-premissive dollar. Immigrant go to the legal or medical difficult: there is a well-suspended language, and "Faces of indigenous nationality" Thus, natural advantages over immigrants. So the lack of white Americans (Australians, Canadians and T.D.) At the natural science faculties is explained: the lazy local majority to learn, especially not tightening, something humanitarian or communal, capable of local ambitions of both sexes land on legal and medical, and in the meantime, the guys from East Asia are sitting at synchrophasotrons and supercomputers.

However, the very incredible abundance of students from East Asia in Western universities unequivocally says that in these countries, including in Korea, the attitude to education is completely special. Korean language will not translate the Russian expression "Sybko competent". That is, of course, you can translate, but the trouble is a compliment.

The roots of this system are partly practical. Throughout the millennium, the official apparatus has been completed here through the system of state exams on official posts. To pass such an exam, it was necessary to sweat a lot, but success guaranteed a good position, a decent income and universal respect. Over time, this equation "Good education = good income = public prestige" became part of the traditional worldview.

Yes, and on our days, education is still important from the pragmatic side, although the pragmatic side, of course, is not exhausted. In order to get a good job, it is necessary to complete a good university. In the primibility company, a graduate of a bad university is not to get, and in a second-delivery company – and the salary has a second-delivery time, and the attitude towards you from those surrounding as a person of the second category. Korean society hierarchical to the limit. In addition, it is designed so that the favorite character of modern Western legends – genius, expelled from school for unsuitability, but then became a millionaire or Nobel laureate. Of course, and in the West, it’s all – mostly legends, most of those who have been expelled from school for abominability, becomes cleaners or simply spends a lifetime on unemployment benefits. However, in the West, such a fate is at least theoretically possible. In Korea, in a person who fell out of the educational marathon, there is no chance. The race goes around the Olympic system, once the loser drops out forever. Will not be an exaggeration to say that in Korea all the fate of a person is solved when he is only 12-16 years old. The Korean system is arranged in such a way that the former school unstaging will not become not only a minister or professor, but also a rich entrepreneur. At best, he shines the position of a small bench or second-hand employee.

Therefore, Korean schoolchildren go like damned. Recently, the Ministry of Education conducted a survey, and found out that the average Korean high school student spends 11 hours a day at school!

You can, of course, complain that this marathon is overly cruel that he injures the psyche of adolescents. Not without it, of course. But he has the other side: Koreans have already been learning to be responsible with 12-13 years old, to the hard work, to discipline. Of course, this affects.