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Lee says S. Korea's future depends on vocational education
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday stressed the importance of vocational education at some secondary schools in South Korea, traditionally famous for its parental fervor for elite education, saying it is a key factor in deciding the country's future.
The president, who worked his way through college, made the remarks during a ceremony to mark the opening of 21 high schools nationwide specializing in vocational training that benchmark job training schools in Germany.
The 21 "Meister" high schools have chosen a total of 3,600 students for technical education and apprenticeship, with state subsidies, so that they can develop expertise in particular fields including shipbuilding, mechanical engineering, semiconductors, and medical equipment.
Students will pay no tuition fees and they will be given chance to get jobs after graduation. The government plans to increase the number of the schools to 50 in stages.
"The Meister high school is a fresh challenge for a change in our education system by nurturing new manpower for the 21st century and it is a school that will break new ground for South Korea's future," the president said.
The launch of the new type of school is a result of government efforts to diversify education for teenagers. South Korea is known for its educational fever among parents, who spend massive sums of money on private tutoring. The problem is that most of them seek to send their children to just a handful of top-level universities.
South Koreans spent 21.6 trillion won (US$18.7 billion) for private education in 2009 alone despite the government's campaign to scale down the market.
"Reckless entrance into college pushes up the people's burden for private education and exacerbates youth unemployment, bringing huge losses to households and the country alike," Lee said.
He promised full support for the success of the Meister school system and asked for the corporate sector's help.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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