Perhaps you have heard about the academic fervor in Seoul. Today we are standing in front of Baehwa Girl’s Middle School. Baehwa Girls’ Middle School is steeped in history. It stands at the slanted foot of Inwangsan Mountain in Pilun-dong. This area was once the house of Lee Hang-Bok. He was a civil official in the early Joseon period. The area was called Pilundae. Academics often visited.
Baehwa Girls’ Middle School’s story is quite unique. J.P. Campbell founded Carolina School in 1898. She was the first female Southern American Baptist missionary dispatched to Korea. The school was officially renamed Baehwa School in 1910. Yun Chi-Ho did the honors. The school moved to its current location in 1915.
Let’s talk about a special building. The Baehwa Girls’ High School Residence Hall is Registered Cultural Asset No. 93. It was built as a missionary residence. Now it serves as the Alumni Hall. This building was erected before the 1920s. Its modern style is unique. It shows Campbell’s adaptation to Korean culture. It’s a Western-style brick building. It also features a traditional Korean hip-and-gable roof. Baehwa Girls’ High School retains its old form.
Education has always been vital in South Korea. After the Korean War the focus on education drove the country’s economic rise. In 1960 South Korea was poor. Its GDP was lower than many African and Latin American countries. Today it is a leading global economy. Education played a key role in this transformation.
In 1945, the adult literacy rate was about 22 percent. By 1970, it jumped to 87.6 percent. By the late 1980s, it was around 93 percent. South Korean students excel in international competitions. They perform well in mathematics and science.
The South Korean government strongly emphasizes education. The Ministry of Education is crucial. Ordinary South Koreans also care deeply about education. The Education Law of 1949 embraced “to benefit humanity” as its guiding principle. This motto is attributed to Korea’s founder Tan’gun.
Since the Korean War, education has expanded greatly. In 2000, there were 536 higher education institutions. They had over 1.4 million students. In 1945, there were only 19 such institutions. They had just 7,819 students. Korea’s literacy rate is near 100 percent today. This shows a significant change over the last 70 years.
Baehwa Girl’s Middle School stands as a symbol. It symbolizes the history and dedication to education in Korea. It represents a commitment to growth. This commitment continues to shape the nation.