5/20/2003WEM 2003, Lisbon, Portugal1 From Education to Lifelong Learning: the Case of South Korea Gwang-Jo Kim World Bank

5/20/2003 WEM 2003, Lisbon, Portugal 1

From Education to Lifelong Learning: the Case of South Korea

Gwang-Jo KimWorld Bank


Outline Education system Education and economy Achievements and problems Education reform for lifelong

learning Conclusions


Country at a Glance (1)


Country at a Glance (2) Area: 99.3 K Sq. KmArea: 99.3 K Sq. Km

Population: 47.8 Million Population: 47.8 Million

GNI: US$ 477.0 Billion (per capita GNI US$10,013) (FY02)GNI: US$ 477.0 Billion (per capita GNI US$10,013) (FY02)

GDP growth: 9.3% in 2000; 3% in 2001; 5.8% in 2002GDP growth: 9.3% in 2000; 3% in 2001; 5.8% in 2002

Structure of the Economy (as % of GDP)Structure of the Economy (as % of GDP)

- Agricultural: 4.4%- Agricultural: 4.4%

- Industry/manufacturing: 41.4%- Industry/manufacturing: 41.4%

- Services: 54.1%- Services: 54.1%

Unemployment: 3%Unemployment: 3%


Education System Socio-cultural context

Homogeneity of Korea Society: Prevalence of Egalitarian IdealHomogeneity of Korea Society: Prevalence of Egalitarian Ideal

Tradition of Confucianism: High Regard for Learning & Zeal for EducationTradition of Confucianism: High Regard for Learning & Zeal for Education

High Premium for Prestigious CollegesHigh Premium for Prestigious Colleges

Formal Education Primary (6)-Middle (3)-High Schools(3)-Universities & Colleges(4)Primary (6)-Middle (3)-High Schools(3)-Universities & Colleges(4)

Primary & Secondary: 10,165 schools, 8M students, 341K teachers Primary & Secondary: 10,165 schools, 8M students, 341K teachers

Universities & Colleges: 358 institutions, 3.3M students, 60K FT teachersUniversities & Colleges: 358 institutions, 3.3M students, 60K FT teachers

Non-formal Education & Training Public/private job training institutions; Private tutoring institutions, adult

education centers; In-plant training institutions, etc.


Education Financing:Public Resources

0

5

10

15

20

25

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

'60 '90'80'70

Gov't Budget Share

GNP Share

s,


Privatization of Education

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

1 0 0

1 2 0

1 9 6 5 1 9 7 0 1 9 7 5 1 9 8 0 1 9 8 5 1 9 9 0 1 9 9 5 2 0 0 0

p r i m a r y m i d d l e s c h o o l h i g h s c h o o l

j u n i o r c o l l e g e c o l l . & u n i v .


Initial industrialization: 60’s~mid-70sEconomy• Take-off (‘60s) • Heavy and chemical

industries (’70s)

• Top 5 Exports: ‘60: Iron, Tungsten, Silk,

Anthracite, Cuttlefish(US$ 79) ‘70: Textiles, Plywood, Wigs,

Iron Ore, Electronics (US$ 249)

Education• Expansion and

upgrading of primary & lower secondary ed.

• Emphasis on TVET (late 1960s)

* manpower planning


Accelerated industrialization: mid-70s~80sEconomy

• Adjustment from imitation to innovation: electronic industry

• Top 5 Exports: 1980: Textiles, Electronics, Iron

& Steel Products, Footwear, Ships

(US $ 1,598)

Education

• Expansion/upgrading of upper secondary

& tertiary education • Strengthening of

TVET: Vocational HS & Junior Colleges


Entering Knowledge Economy: ‘90s~Economy• Competitiveness, Knowledge-based

Economy • Top 5 Exports: 1990: Electronics, Textiles,

Footwear, Iron & Steel Products, Ships (US$ 5,886)

2000: Semiconductor, Motor Cars, Computers, Ships, Petroleum Products (US $ 9,770)

Education• Quality

enhancement for K-12

• Public investment in higher ed. (Brain Korea 21*)

• Lifelong Learning


Achievements GER as of 2001GER as of 2001

Prim. (98%), Sec. (96%)Prim. (98%), Sec. (96%)

Tertiary (84%)Tertiary (84%)

International assessmentInternational assessment ’’89, ’89, ’96 TIMSS89, ’89, ’96 TIMSS

2001 PISA 2001 PISA

No skill mismatch until No skill mismatch until

‘90s‘90s

Contributed to Contributed to

industrialization & industrialization &

democratizationdemocratization2

4

6

8

10

12

14

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10,000

GDP(Per Capita)

AV

G S

chool Years

'66'70

'75'80

'85'90 '95

Age(20-29)

Age>50

Population


Problems

School education obsessed with “college-entrance” School education obsessed with “college-entrance” Rote memorization, lack of creativity, foreign languageRote memorization, lack of creativity, foreign language

Inordinate private cost of education (3% of GDP)Inordinate private cost of education (3% of GDP)

“ “Education exodus”: 4Education exodus”: 4thth largest among int’l students in US largest among int’l students in US

Soaring training costs for business firm (as of 2002): Hyundai Soaring training costs for business firm (as of 2002): Hyundai

Motor Co. (US$ 6 M), Samsung Electronics (US$ 6.4M) Motor Co. (US$ 6 M), Samsung Electronics (US$ 6.4M)

Deficiency of the system for LLL& KEDeficiency of the system for LLL& KE Low participation of adult population in LLLLow participation of adult population in LLL

Skills gap – creativeness, foreign language, computer skills, etc. Skills gap – creativeness, foreign language, computer skills, etc.

Lack of incentives for both learners and providersLack of incentives for both learners and providers


1997 Financial Crisis & Reform

Foreign liquidity risk and a massive IMF bailout packageForeign liquidity risk and a massive IMF bailout package

Macro-economic stability programs and restructuring: Macro-economic stability programs and restructuring: Reprivatization of banking sector and SOEsReprivatization of banking sector and SOEs

Political and administrative reformPolitical and administrative reform

Improvement of social safety netImprovement of social safety net

GDP growth: from 5.0 in 1997 to –6.7% in 1998GDP growth: from 5.0 in 1997 to –6.7% in 1998

Massive lay-off, labor flexibility: increase in part-timersMassive lay-off, labor flexibility: increase in part-timers unemployment rate: 8.4 % in 1999unemployment rate: 8.4 % in 1999

Cutting teachers’ retirement age from 65 to 62Cutting teachers’ retirement age from 65 to 62

(30K teachers retired in 3 years)(30K teachers retired in 3 years)


Strategies for Lifelong Learning

Curriculum reform and Curriculum reform and

VTETVTET

Investment in e-learningInvestment in e-learning

Governance reformGovernance reform

Redirecting resourcesRedirecting resources


Curriculum Reform

Learner-oriented curriculumLearner-oriented curriculum Reduce subjects, common course up to 10Reduce subjects, common course up to 10thth grade grade

Diversify curriculum choice at 11Diversify curriculum choice at 11thth and 12 and 12thth grades grades

Require ICT literacy as a basic competenceRequire ICT literacy as a basic competence

Transformation of out-dated VTET schoolsTransformation of out-dated VTET schools Link to tertiary and labor marketLink to tertiary and labor market

““Specialized” high schools: design, graphic, ICT, Specialized” high schools: design, graphic, ICT,

cartoon, etc.cartoon, etc.


Investment in e-Learning

World’s most comprehensive Internet network World’s most comprehensive Internet network

(NY Times, May 5)(NY Times, May 5)

Initial investment by government (Info. Super Highway)Initial investment by government (Info. Super Highway)

Lifting monopoly and competitionLifting monopoly and competition

Incorporation of ICT in schoolsIncorporation of ICT in schools All 10K schools linked to Internet by 2000 (EDUNET)All 10K schools linked to Internet by 2000 (EDUNET)

Curriculum mandate: 10% of classroom timeCurriculum mandate: 10% of classroom time

ICT skill competence as requirement for HS graduationICT skill competence as requirement for HS graduation


Governance Reform

Legal Foundation for LLLLegal Foundation for LLL Delivery of Curriculum Contents through Technology (’97)Delivery of Curriculum Contents through Technology (’97)

Legislation of Lifelong Learning Act: Basis for Cyber EducationLegislation of Lifelong Learning Act: Basis for Cyber Education

New recognition system: private qualification, Credit-Bank SystemNew recognition system: private qualification, Credit-Bank System

Deregulation and EvaluationDeregulation and Evaluation School Autonomy: from PTA to School CouncilSchool Autonomy: from PTA to School Council

Stakeholder Participation: Teachers’ Union, Parents’ AssociationStakeholder Participation: Teachers’ Union, Parents’ Association

Devolution: Curriculum, Learning Materials, etc.Devolution: Curriculum, Learning Materials, etc.

Performance Evaluation of Local Education AuthoritiesPerformance Evaluation of Local Education Authorities

Coordination between Ministries: Ministry of Education and HRDCoordination between Ministries: Ministry of Education and HRD


Redirecting resources Cost-sharing bet. Central & Local GovernmentCost-sharing bet. Central & Local Government

Local Ed. Grant: Block (Formula) Grant to LEAs since 1991Local Ed. Grant: Block (Formula) Grant to LEAs since 1991

Center vs Local Contributions: 25 to 75Center vs Local Contributions: 25 to 75

Reorienting investment prioritiesReorienting investment priorities Improving ECD, prim. & sec. quality – class size reduction Improving ECD, prim. & sec. quality – class size reduction

Strategic investment in tertiary ed.: BK21 Project (IT, BT, etc.)Strategic investment in tertiary ed.: BK21 Project (IT, BT, etc.)

Participation from private sectorParticipation from private sector 50% upper secondary, 80% tertiary50% upper secondary, 80% tertiary

10 % of Total Investment in ICT in Education since 199610 % of Total Investment in ICT in Education since 1996


LLL Strategies

Then Now

- regulation oriented - youth (high school graduates) - rote-learning - egalitarian financing - standards/process - no competition

- incentives oriented - all, including unemployed

- creativeness, self-directed - competitive funding - qualifications/outcomes - some competition


Some Results Credit Bank System

6,773 obtained BA & Associate BA degrees in 2002 (34 in 1999)

15 cyber univ. (35K students) since

1997 3 Years accomplishment of BK21

SCI papers: 3,842 (’99) - 5,698(’02) International Patent: 145(’99) - 174 (‘02)


Backlash

Top-down reform: “Reform fatigue”, sabotaging Top-down reform: “Reform fatigue”, sabotaging

(teachers unions), interest grid-lock (teachers unions), interest grid-lock

““School failure”, persistent private tutoring, School failure”, persistent private tutoring,

high-stake college entrance examhigh-stake college entrance exam

Lack of policy coordinationLack of policy coordination

Partnership between public and private sectorsPartnership between public and private sectors


Conclusions

End of state-led reformEnd of state-led reform Coherent LLL policy frameworkCoherent LLL policy framework Coordination, concerted approachCoordination, concerted approach Incentive-driven system and Incentive-driven system and

participationparticipation

Documents

5/20/2003WEM 2003, Lisbon, Portugal1 From Education to Lifelong Learning: the Case of South Korea Gwang-Jo Kim World Bank