More and more cases are being discovered in which teachers have been filling out the test answers for their students in order to raise their school performance scores. It is sad to realize you're seeing the dark side of education when, in addition to the mass cheating on last year's scholastic aptitude test, you have people who will stop nothing in the pursuit of higher scores.
Nothing justifies the criminal behavior of filling out the answers for a test taker. This is not something that should be thrown out of focus with claims that it "reveals fundamental problems with the system of performance scores" or that we are seeing the "evils of a bad university entrance system." It was criminal activity by teachers who forgot themselves when they should have been dutifully teaching their students and having the results reflected in performance scores. If fellow teachers or their schools knew about the activity and did nothing they are guilty of abetting the activity.
We need to think about why the cases are concentrated in Seoul's Gangnam neighborhood. The area is known as a "Special Education Zone" because the high income and fever for education on the part of young parents living there leads to an overflow of all sorts of "educational products." This time around as well, it is highly likely that we are seeing a new "educational product" in the form of collusion between teachers and parents, in which a student's performance scores are professionally "managed." There will have to be a thorough investigation and preventive measures enacted by schools and the authorities.
The essence of education is to encourage and help each students' own aptitude and abilities manifest themselves to the greatest extent possible. Any teacher who violates that has no right to be at a school. Parents, for their part, need to realize that using illegal and roundabout means to advance their children's progress only hurts their futures.
If this situation is going to be turned into something that leads to improvement, teachers will have to return to their rightful places. It is an encouraging matter of course that country's two teachers' organizations are promising to clean things up. Teachers have to be able to stand up as responsible participants in education no matter what they are faced with, because otherwise that education will not be healthy and of quality. They need to be backed up in that with structural improvements such as increased official status for teachers and parents organizations. It also goes without saying that the next Deputy Prime Minister of Education and Human Resources Development needs to be someone fully in possession of a philosophy of education.
The Hankyoreh, 27January 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] What's With the Country's Teachers? |
