A portal to future medical innovation stands before us. We are at Youngnak Medical Science High School. What makes this school special? Let’s find out.
Youngnak Medical Science High School stands as a beacon for aspiring medical professionals. Education in Korea has a long and storied past. Historically Korean society prized learning. The well-educated were highly regarded. Formal education was not widely available to all until after the Korean War.
Before 1945 less than 20 percent of Koreans had received formal education of any kind. The modern education system is based on a 1968 charter. It identifies education as an important aspect of citizenship. It defines the government’s role. The government provides all Korean children with access to education.
Confucianism shaped ideas about education in Korea. Education meant socialization into Confucian norms and virtues. This began in early childhood. Students read the Confucian classics. The model figure was the virtuous and learned scholar-official. He was adept at poetry and statecraft.
Formal education in Korea started in the Three Kingdoms era. The people of Koguryo studied the Five Classics of Confucianism. They also studied historical records and literature. The first public educational institution was called Taehak. King Sosurim of Koguryo founded it in 372. This was the first formal school in East Asia outside of China. The king officially adopted Buddhism. He embarked on reforms. He educated youth for officialdom. Taehak was modeled upon Chinese institutions. It taught the Chinese language and the Confucian classics.
During the Chosun Dynasty the royal court established a system of schools. These schools taught Confucian subjects in the provinces and in Seoul. Higher education was provided by the Snggyungwan. It was the Confucian national university in Seoul.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries modern private schools were established. Koreans and foreign Christian missionaries founded them. Missionaries promoted the education of women. They also spread Western social and political ideas.
After Japan annexed Korea in 1910 the colonial regime established an educational system. Its goals were to train Koreans for subordinate roles and to make them loyal subjects. They provided a higher quality education for Japanese expatriates.
Today Youngnak Medical Science High School continues this legacy of education. It prepares students for careers in medicine. It equips them with knowledge. It fosters critical thinking. It encourages innovation. The pursuit of excellence remains a core value here.
Imagine the future doctors and researchers who walk these halls. They are ready to shape the future of healthcare. Their journey starts here at Youngnak Medical Science High School.