Cho Hee-yeon: "Education Goals Should Not Be Reduced to Tools for Industrial Talent Development" (Comprehensive)

First Press Conference After Third Term: "Will Prevent Educational Regression"
"Students Are Not Tools for Industrial Development, Must Grow as Holistic Humans"
8 Conservative Superintendents Among 17 Cities and Provinces, Interest in the Council of Superintendents
"All 17 Cities and Provinces Oppose Policy to Expand Regular Admissions, There Is a Common Denominator"
Maintains Agreement on Abolishing Autonomous Private High Schools: "Government Position Must Be Clarified"

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, pointed out that "the goal of education should not be instrumentalized by emphasizing only the cultivation of talents needed for industry."

At a press briefing held at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on the 15th, Superintendent Cho commented on President Yoon Seok-yeol's recent statement that the top priority of education should be the cultivation of industrial talents, saying, "I hope that the goal of education will not be excessively narrowed or instrumentalized solely to industrial talent cultivation from the perspective of educational philosophy." He added, "While nurturing semiconductor talents is an urgent task and we will actively respond to the national industrial talent cultivation trend such as training one million digital talents, I am expressing concerns from the perspective of educational philosophy."

Cho Hee-yeon Criticizes Emphasis on 'Industrial Talents' from Educational Philosophy Perspective

Superintendent Cho said, "There are concerns about making industrial talent cultivation the best goal, but I do not think it is necessary to conclude that we have returned to the MB administration era," explaining, "The major trend in education now emphasizes quality of life and holistic growth of children, which is different from the period when education was considered a tool for national modernization."

Superintendent Cho expressed concerns about 'educational regression.' Following the local elections, where 8 out of 17 metropolitan and provincial superintendents elected were conservative, there are forecasts that educational policy lines will diverge by region regarding issues such as nationwide standardized tests and autonomous private high school policies.

He said, "Voices of concern about educational regression are emerging from various sectors of society, including the education community. I worry that we might return to a time when industrial talent cultivation was the top priority in education, ignoring other values, or that children will be pressured and ranked solely by grades," adding, "Returning to an authoritarian, discipline-centered school culture does not fit the education of South Korea, which has become an advanced country. 'High-quality public education' is the only solution, and we will refine comprehensive measures."

Half of Superintendents Are Conservative... Numerous Issues Including Nationwide Standardized Tests

Superintendent Cho was elected as the next chairman of the Council of Metropolitan and Provincial Superintendents on the 13th. He now has the role of coordinating the positions of superintendents with differing interests. He said, "The composition and nuances of differences in the council have become more diverse, but all 17 superintendents agree on opposing the expansion of regular admissions. There are also common grounds such as opposing cuts in primary and secondary education budgets. We plan to operate in a way that cooperates where possible while expressing diversity."

However, he maintained a negative stance on expanding the academic achievement assessment from the current sampling evaluation method to a full survey. Superintendent Cho said, "The most sensitive topic in the new government is the mandatory unification of academic achievement full surveys and basic academic skills diagnosis, but there has not been in-depth discussion in the Council of Superintendents," adding, "Since the full survey of academic achievement is related to nationwide standardized tests, I think it needs to be discussed by bodies such as the National Education Commission."

He continued, "More than 90% of Seoul's elementary and middle schools use the basic academic skills diagnostic scale developed by Chungnam National University, but we need to consider whether expanding the achievement assessment to a full survey to pressure academic performance or strengthening the basic academic skills diagnosis itself is appropriate," adding, "Regarding basic academic skills issues, I will approach them responsibly without ideological bias and propose alternatives."

With the new government, the policy of abolishing autonomous private high schools (Jasago) has also entered a new phase. If the Ministry of Education reverses its direction before the 2025 general high school conversion, there may be divergent positions among metropolitan and provincial offices of education regarding maintaining or abolishing these schools.

Regarding this, Superintendent Cho said, "I hope the Minister of Education will be confirmed and the new government's position on the Jasago policy will be clarified, but currently, the transitional situation continues," adding, "If the conversion to general high schools is reversed and canceled, I am opposed. Since the conversion is stipulated by enforcement decree, the National Assembly might block it by law, so we need to watch the final decision."

Beginning Third Term... Emphasizing 'Integrated Innovative Education'

The 3rd Term Superintendent Coexistence Education Transition Committee (Preparatory Committee) will operate for 40 days from the 20th to July 29. The chairman of the 3rd term committee will be Professor Ban Sang-jin of Jeonbuk National University. The committee will select key tasks for Seoul education in the 3rd term and turn pledges into policies. It will also form an advisory group for coexistence education transition composed of various figures inside and outside the education sector and establish 10 subcommittees on education recovery, class evaluation, educational welfare, and more.

Superintendent Cho plans to hold a 'Future Education Roundtable (tentative name)' with conservative superintendent candidates such as Cho Jeon-hyuk, Park Sun-young, Cho Young-dal, and Lee Ju-ho to listen to shortcomings and areas for improvement in innovative education. He said, "Even unofficially, I want to exchange views and listen to points we can accept," adding, "If the past eight years were reform, now we will pursue integrated innovation."

To address and respond to the damages students suffered due to COVID-19, a 'Special Committee for COVID-19 Scars Recovery Education (tentative name)' will be formed. The plan is to comprehensively review and implement measures on all issues including academic achievement, physical health, emotional well-being, social relationships, and community.

The 'School Reform Promotion Team,' which handles mid- to long-term issues related to school sites, will be led by Kang Shin-man, a progressive candidate who unified with Superintendent Cho. They will discuss five major tasks including expanding the principal recruitment system, Seoul-type basic academic skills guarantee system, and safe after-school care until 8 p.m. for elementary students.

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