South Korea: Education union challenges standardised testing
The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) has challenged the South Korean Government to eliminate Korean Standardised Testing. The KTU, an EI affiliate, argues that the measurement of a teacher’s worth should not rely on standardised testing.
The KTU held a press conference to raise this demand together with education related civic organizations in front of the Ministry of Education in Seoul on 12 June.
Schools in South Korea’s 16 provincial education offices have their budgets allocated according to the Standardised Testing Results (so-called Ilje-gosa), which are made available to the public.
Schools with the highest scores receive more money than those with lower scores. This, explained KTU President Jang Seok-woong, “puts a strong pressure on the schools to get a high grade on the testing by fair means or foul”.
Teaching to the test
“Implementing standardised testing since 2008, the Government has driven teachers and students into cutthroat competition and spread the philosophy of teaching only to the test, narrowing the school curriculum,” he added.
When the tests were initially imposed on public schools in 2008, the Ministry of Education dismissed 14 KTU teachers who exercised their right to opt out of the test, after conferring with students and parents regarding whether or not they wanted to participate in the standardised exam.
The Lee Myung-bak administration has undertaken a brutal attack against unionised teachers over the last five-year period. This has included the dismissal of 16 KTU executive members, the suspension of 67 union staff members, suppression of teachers' freedom of speech, and restriction of teachers' trade union rights and freedoms.
Educators at heart of debate
EI supports South Korean educators, parents and students in their struggle against test-driven education and the misuse of standardised testing to gauge teaching standards. EI firmly believes that educators and education unions should lead the debate about defining quality and excellence in teaching.
