Cho Hee-yeon Urges Presidential Candidates to Reflect University Hierarchy and College Entrance Reform in Their Pledges

At the 3rd Anniversary Press Conference, Emphasized the Need for Hierarchy and College Admission Reform
Proposed Public Discussion and Social Consensus on Primary, Secondary, and University Reform Plans through the National Education Committee
Providing One Smart Device per Middle School New Student and Teacher with a Budget of 66 Billion Won
Decided to Promote the 'Major Exploration Credit System' Allowing General High School Students to Attend Vocational High School Classes

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, is participating as a special mentor in the new teacher growth support program held on the 12th at Gajaeul Middle School in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, engaging in conversation with teachers newly appointed this year. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, proposed on the 6th that presidential candidates express their positions on university hierarchy and college entrance system reform and reflect them in their pledges.

At a press conference marking his third anniversary in office held at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on the same day, Superintendent Cho said, "For various educational policies targeted for 2025, such as the high school credit system and the conversion of autonomous private high schools, international high schools, and foreign language high schools into general high schools, to achieve positive effects during the new president’s term, discussions on reforming the college entrance system and university hierarchy must begin now." He added, "Reform plans should be included in the presidential pledges, and through the National Education Committee, university reform proposals should go through a public discourse process to be established as a social consensus."

He emphasized, "The current college entrance system and hierarchical university structure are black holes that hinder improvements in elementary and secondary education," adding, "Because the hierarchical university system demands a corresponding entrance system, alleviating hierarchy is necessary to create room for entrance system improvements. It is now time to take a fundamental approach." He continued, "Under the current entrance system, the high school credit system cannot be properly established, and even if the hierarchical high school system disappears, harsh entrance competition remains, limiting effectiveness," and added, "The problem of the current entrance system, which fails to properly evaluate students’ overall capabilities, must be overcome as soon as possible."

Superintendent Cho defined 2025, when the high school credit system will be implemented and autonomous private high schools, international high schools, and foreign language high schools will be converted into general high schools, as the ‘2025 Education System’ and announced plans to establish the ‘2025 Innovation Future Education Committee’ to promote a comprehensive vision and execution roadmap. He also expressed his intention to strengthen equal education policies to respond to educational polarization. Viewing basic academic skills as a ‘human right,’ he pledged support to develop critical thinking skills and to establish an educational welfare system that harmonizes ‘universal’ and ‘individual’ needs.

Superintendent Cho stated that to provide customized education beyond paper textbooks, one smart device will be provided each to new middle school students and teachers. To this end, a budget of 60 billion won will be invested to support 88,000 devices. To help general high school students explore career paths, a ‘General High School Major Exploration Credit System’ will be promoted, allowing students to take specialized vocational high school courses. Opportunities for early major exploration will be provided through joint educational curricula. The ‘Six-Year Vocational High School Responsibility Project’ will also be promoted to assist in managing vocational high school graduates’ records and improving employment capabilities.

To realize partial free early childhood education, tuition support for private kindergartens will be expanded for low-income families and children requiring special education who cannot benefit from public kindergarten due to their living environment. Superintendent Cho also proposed activating international joint classes, promoting food ecology transition education, and expanding rural study-abroad regions and scales.

Superintendent Cho’s term lasts until June next year. He has faced ups and downs, including being the first investigation target of the High-ranking Officials’ Crime Investigation Unit on charges of favoritism in hiring dismissed teachers and consecutive losses in lawsuits regarding autonomous private high schools. This is interpreted as him presenting various ideas in preparation for a third term bid as superintendent next year.

Superintendent Cho said, "When the National Education Committee is launched next year, educational authority, which was concentrated in the Ministry of Education, will be transferred to the committee, and metropolitan and provincial offices of education will take on the role of supporting elementary and secondary education." He added, "I hope that by 2025, this system will be established and educational autonomy will achieve a qualitative leap."

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