I want my son to go to technical high school and learn technology and then get a job. And if he finds out what he lacks and becomes greedy. I want him to go to college and study in depth.
A 40-year-old office worker with children in kindergarten was asked about his thoughts on ‘Gonggo (工高)’ and he replied:
It is an era where it has already become insensitive to introduce various indicators and how difficult it is to find a job. As if reflecting the times, parents of middle school students who are about to enter high school or elementary school students younger than that are first starting to think of ‘pre-employment backwards education’.
Until the mid-2000s, the perception that ‘technical high school = problem school’ has been waning for over 10 years now.
Isn’t it only when you have a desire to study to go to college?
Parents who want to enroll their children in ‘Gonggo’ said that the problem is the abnormal education system and perception. technology.
Park (48). Who has a child in 5th grade. Asked. What is the reason for going to college? Aren’t you going to study in depth what you are curious about?” After asking. However. Korean universities have already been transformed into outposts for employment. “he said.
“Learning skills that will allow you to acquire skills over time is more beneficial than sending you to a decent university and paying 30 to 40 million won for four years of tuition and not getting a job. he said. technology.
He said. If my child has a will to study. I will send him to the university. But if that is not the case. I will not stop the admission to ‘announcement. He said.
Mr. Jeong (43). Who now has a child who has just entered kindergarten. Was not much different from Mr. Park’s thoughts.
Jeong. Who works for a logistics team at a large corporation. Said. When I meet and talk with my colleagues or friends, there is always something to say. He said.
Jung said. These days. Restructuring is a day-to-day job. And our office workers are anxious when they see it being reported on TV.” technology
According to him, my parents believed in the past that college should be free
Is it a reflection of the parents’ perceptions? Teachers working at specialized high schools agreed that the grades of incoming students were higher than in the past.
An official from Seoul Digitech High School in Itaewon-dong. Yongsan-gu. Seoul said. “Our school’s admission grade is about 40% of middle school grades. technology
10 years ago. This school was the place where students with about 70% grades came in. An official explained that this was to be used as a bridgehead to easily go to university through the government’s specialized admissions system at the time.
Hwang Yong-tae. Vice principal of Suwon Technical High School in Suwon-si. Gyeonggi-do. Said. Preference for public schools has improved a lot. technology
Deputy Principal Hwang said. There are about 40-50 general high school students who want to transfer to our school a year. However. Only 4-5 students can transfer.
He said. The competition ratio is about 10:1 because students can only be accepted within the vacancy. He said. There are a lot of inquiries from parents about transfers because they graduated from school and got a good job in a difficult social situation. technology
The ‘self-reflection’ of the older generation and the ‘envying gaze’ of college students
Kim (60). Who has a child in his late 20s preparing for the civil service exam. Said that the current ‘job shortage’ is the responsibility of the older generation. Including himself.
Kim said. When my child went to high school. There was a widespread perception that public schools were a place for children who could not study. And I thought that I had to go to college. My parents’ generation sent both of us to college. So it seems like they were mass-producing only public officials without even saving their majors. technology
The children of a 53-year-old mother-in-law who has been working as an educational public servant in the province for 25 years are also public officials who are currently preparing for the civil service exam.
Jang said. In middle school. My child didn’t study very well. But I still thought that I should send him to a humanities high school.
He said. Now that I think about it. I regret what it would have been like if I had gone to the ‘specialized high school I am today.
Some college students. Who will have to enter the job market in two or three years. Looked at their vocational high school graduates with envy.
Min-mo (22. Female). Who majored in business administration at a university in Seodaemun-gu. Seoul. said. It seems that the time has come for technology in the professional field to be recognized. There were times when I was envious of seeing him feel.
A 27-year-old Lee. Majoring in electronics. Said. In the past. Students who couldn’t study for public high schools went to high school. But now I’ve heard that the percentage of ‘choice’ has increased.
Then. He said. The reality of most general high school graduates is that if you go to college and graduate according to your score. You are preparing for civil service.
Socially. it is still ‘discrimination’…”I still have to go to college
However. Parents who want to send a specialized high school such as an announcement need ‘courage’ This is because they believe that students who graduate from specialized high schools are being discriminated against in society.
Kim (38. Female). Who lives in Jeongeup. Jeollabuk-do, has children in the second grade of elementary school. He said. You have to decide based on your child’s grades (going to a specialized high school). But it’s not a very bad choice. He said.
Our country cannot overlook education. He said in response to a question.
Hwang (38. Female). Who has a son in 3rd grade and a daughter in 1st grade. Said. I’m not thinking about a specialized high school from the beginning. And I need to go to college.
I often let my education determine my life because I have a social life. Moreover. In the current situation where universities have become like compulsory education. I don’t think we can’t leave our children alone.
University student Song Mo (27)
Also said that graduating from college is still important. He said, “The purpose of establishing a specialized high school is good,” but that graduates of such schools may not be adequately prepared for the job market.
An official from the entrance examination academy also revealed that the change in parents’ perception of specialized high schools is a ‘momentary’ phenomenon.
As part of the college admissions process, special consideration was given to high schools. About two years ago, 3% of the university admission rate was selected from specialized high schools, but now it has decreased to 1.5%, so the preference for specialized high schools has faded a lot.”
According to him, until now, parents have thought that if they study enough, they will send their children to college.
You must first identify your child’s talents… Important policy support from the government
The government announced on the 25th of last month the ‘High School Customized Education Revitalization Plan’ to increase the proportion of students attending high schools that provide vocational education such as specialized high schools from 19% to 30% by 2020.
The core of the plan is to maintain the current level of 337,000 students in vocational high schools and reduce the number of general high schools, even if the number of high school enrollments decreases.
The government’s policy decision reflects the reality that there are about 34,000 students who want to receive vocational education but cannot receive it due to a lack of schools.
Experts evaluated the change in parents’ perception and the government’s policy direction as positive.
Professor Jang Hyeong-shim of the Department of Education at Hanyang University said, “The fact that the ‘pre-employment backward study’ system is a very desirable phenomenon from an educational point of view. “I can’t answer that yet.
Professor Jang said
Koreans pay high prices for overseas luxury goods, but are indifferent to nurturing domestic craftsmen. The people who make luxury goods are those who have honed their skills through apprenticeship and apprenticeship.”
Parents who perceive ‘backward’ education as pre-employment are naturally anxious, since they may be pioneering. If you look at how you are positioned as a member, you will think that the current choice was the right one.”
Regarding the risk of failure and social ‘discrimination’, he said, “Doesn’t everyone succeed in studying?” “If you fail in a job you love, you have the courage to try again, but if you fail in a field you don’t like, you will face a more difficult situation. I just do it,” he explained.
Jeong Jeong-young, a professor of education at Ewha Womans University, also said, “If you look at the industrial structure of Korea, about 80% of high school students go to college, even though there are not many college graduates.
Professor Jung said, “Changes in parents’ perceptions of specialized high schools can be seen to coincide with changes in perceptions of skilled professionals. This is clear to me,” said Jung.
Professor Jeong emphasized that parents should help their children find what they want to do, understand it well, and help them go on the right path. To this end, he urged them to make good use of the ‘free semester system’ implemented in middle schools.
In his opinion, students should choose what they want to do on their own.
