Former Jeonnam Superintendent Candidate Kim Dae-jung Strongly Criticizes 'Decline in Academic Achievement'

Kim Dae-jung, Preliminary Candidate for Jeonnam Superintendent of Education

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Kim Dae-jung, a preliminary candidate for Jeonnam Superintendent of Education, strongly criticized the decline in academic achievement during the 3rd term of the Jeonnam Office of Education under direct election.

On the 28th, Kim Dae-jung issued a press release stating, “Over the past four years, the average standard score of the CSAT increased by 0.9 points in Seoul, but the standard score in Jeonnam dropped by 1.2 points,” and criticized, “Preliminary candidate Jang Seok-woong is making excuses and evading responsibility by citing the absurd statistic that ‘the national average dropped by 0.6 points, so Jeonnam’s average standard score also declined.’”

Kim demanded, “Candidate Jang should stop spreading the falsehood that ‘the CSAT is a supplementary means for university entrance exams and the perception that the CSAT reflects academic ability is an outdated view of academic achievement,’ and take responsibility for the decline in academic performance and apologize to parents.”

Kim argued, “Since 91% of Jeonnam students enter universities through early admission, the CSAT grade is more important than the score,” and added, “In the 2021 CSAT Korean subject, only 1.3% of Jeonnam students achieved the top grade, and even when combining grades 1 through 3, it was only 12.8%.”

He continued, “The situation was even more serious in Mathematics Type Ga. The proportions of grades 1 through 3 were only 1.2%, 3.0%, and 4.5%, respectively, and for Mathematics Type Na, the proportions were 2.2%, 3.7%, and 8.7%,” and questioned, “Nationally, the proportions for grades 1, 2, and 3 are 4%, 7%, and 12%, but Jeonnam falls significantly short of these figures.”

Targeting candidate Jang Seok-woong, he criticized, “If he does not understand university entrance exams, he is incompetent, and if he knows but still makes such claims, he is betraying even the conscience of an educator.”

Kim stated, “Our education must change to focus on cultivating future competencies,” and pledged, “We will secure students’ right to learn by creating classrooms where lessons can be conducted and build schools where every student can develop their talents and study.”

Preliminary candidates Kim Dae-jung and Jang Seok-woong are engaged in a fierce debate over their differing interpretations of a pledge to provide a basic education income of 200,000 KRW per student per month, funded by a local extinction response fund, calling each other “empty promises” and “empty superintendents.”

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