Cho Hee-yeon "International Middle School Tuition 11 Million Won... Parental Economic Power Deepens Educational Inequality"

Not Part of the International Middle School Abolition Policy
Poor Performance Over 5 Years

Hierarchized, Encourages Private Education
Reduced to a Step in the Process of Entering Special-Purpose High Schools

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, announced the evaluation results of the operational performance of Daewon and Younghoon International Middle Schools on the 10th, stating, "This is not part of a policy to abolish international middle schools, but a fair and objective evaluation of the operational performance over the past five years."

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced the results of the review on the operational performance of specialized middle schools and stated that it will proceed with the cancellation of the designation of Daewon and Younghoon International Middle Schools as specialized middle schools.

At the press conference, Superintendent Cho added, "Before the cancellation of the designation, the Office of Education will conduct a hearing process to allow the schools to sufficiently respond to the operational performance evaluation."

Superintendent Cho said, "It undermines the essential value of guaranteeing equal educational opportunities to all students of international middle schools at the compulsory education stage and strengthening the public nature of education," adding, "It is rather perceived as a hierarchical school system, encouraging private education." He continued, "It has become a goal at the middle school stage in the process of attending English academies for young children, private elementary schools, and specialized high schools," emphasizing, "The average annual tuition of the four private international middle schools reaches 11 million won, separating students at the compulsory education stage based on parents' economic power and deepening educational inequality."

He also said, "Evaluation is evaluation, and the abolition policy is on a different level," adding, "Education should be a path of growth, not just a path to success."

He expressed hope that the announcement of the transition of international middle schools would not lead to exhausting conflicts and debates. Superintendent Cho sincerely appealed, "I sincerely hope that the students, parents, and staff members of international middle schools, as well as the citizens watching, will empathize and move toward integrated and equal education at the compulsory education stage."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.