What if I told you that this unassuming building behind me Seoul Sangbong Elementary School holds a key to understanding South Korea’s meteoric rise? The story of Seoul Sangbong Elementary School is also a reflection of South Korea’s journey. It went from a nation struggling with widespread illiteracy to one of the most educated societies in the world.
Before we delve deeper let’s take a moment to appreciate what this school represents. Seoul Sangbong Elementary School is a symbol of hope for countless children who have passed through its doors.
Following the Korean War access to education was not widely available. Less than 20 percent of Koreans had received any kind of formal education by 1945. The government defined education as an important aspect of citizenship in 1968. The government plays a central role in providing all Korean children with access to education.
Historically Korean society has prized learning and the well educated. Koreans have long believed society’s leaders to be the most educated. The Korean passion for education is one reason for the country’s rapid economic development. It is rooted in the traditional respect for the educated class.
Korea has long retained a Confucian notion that man is perfectible through education. Educational attainment has become the principal measure of a person’s worth with the traditional class system’s obsolescence. Koreans have achieved remarkable progress in making education available to all. The literacy rate quickly reached almost 100 percent. Koreans are among the most educated people in the world.
Education was first provided to prospective leaders from aristocratic families to ensure high quality of leadership. The graduate would gain not only wisdom but also a sense of morality in governance. It served as a check against incompetent or cruel government.
Modern education has become accessible to everyone. Ironically democratic education has now become a mechanism of creating and legitimizing new classes. It offers a chance of upward mobility even for people of the humblest origin. The focus has shifted from basic literacy to life skill literacy education as literacy has neared 100 percent.
The Korean government and people have set for themselves a new aim of global competitiveness in the information-oriented twenty-first century. Research and development have been promoted especially in science and technology.
Confucianism has shaped ideas about education in Korea. The glue holding the traditional nobility together was education. It began in early childhood with the reading of the Confucian classics. The model figure was the virtuous and learned scholar-official who was equally adept at poetry and statecraft. Education started very early because Korean students had to master the extraordinarily difficult classical Chinese language.
Seoul Sangbong Elementary School stands as a testament to South Korea’s unwavering commitment to education. It embodies the belief that education is the key to individual success and national progress. As you continue your journey through Seoul remember that places like Seoul Sangbong Elementary School have shaped the nation. They have propelled it to become a global leader in technology, innovation and culture.