Essay Sample on Relationship Between Korean Education and Quality of Life

Introduction

South Korea is one of the leading cited cases of economic development. Over the past four decades, the infrastructures in Korea including the school resources were devastated as a result of the Korean War(Perka pg34). The economy was impoverished with natural resources drastically destroyed before picking up again. Reports have it that during this time, the GNP per capita reduced to $79, but after the end of the war, the GDP has been on the increase. The GNP in 2019 stood as $489.4 billion placing it among the leading economic globally(Xinhua 1). South Korea is a country boasting a 5,000-year-old history with humanitarianism that values and embedded in society(Italia 45). This has resulted in the emergence of Korean technology as well as the wealthy cultural heritage. Thus, the Koreans attach a high value on studies and cultivating the mind of an individual for the betterment of society. Education has played a critical role in the national development that has boosted the living standards of people in Korea(Sami, 23).

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Education in South Korea is provided by both the private and the public school. The South Korean government has continually enlarged the provision of free education to all students in both primary and high schools. The establishment of free education has seen an increase in the rate of college enrollment(Hyde 35). According to OECD, 70% of the 24 to 35-year-olds in South Korea have completed tertiary education, which is the leading percentage globally. The portion is 20% more compared to the United States rates(Peuch,26). It is also cited that South Korea has the top quality education system based on the standardized tests ranking it among the leading performing countries in the OEDC program(Kim 528).

Thus, South Korean high educational attainment levels have been a significant sign of the nation`s transformation and the meteoric economic expansion over the past 70years. The focus on education is an essential pillar to the South Korean economic development. During the 1980s, the government of South Korea strategically focused on human capital investment and devoted the resources to education which fueled the expansion. The expansion in education is directly linked to social mobility, power positions as well as increasing income levels. However, the high education levels in South Korea have a direct effect on the standards of living.

The recent report state that investment in education has presented professional performers and the fact that education is not all round. With the students in top universities securing best jobs across the nation hence are attaining high life quality. However, the fact that the graduates are prepared for coveted jobs, it has resulted in the high cases of unemployment. It is indicated that the percentage of the middle-class households in South Korea reduced from 76% to 68% that saw a reduction in the high paying jobs across South Korea, which also led to the standstill in the middle-class income as well as its growth.

As much as South Korea aims at investing mainly in education, the system fails to focus on the person's all-round development. Education is given priority, and the majority have access to education, but the challenge is that most of them end up being unemployed. The education system is linked to the high levels of suicide among the South Korea students and the media attribute the outlet to the anxiety that is created among the college students. At the same time, the system is also criticized for producing a high number of university students who are overeducated but do not access employment chances - the high number of educated students land for low paying jobs which renders them poor living standards.

An education system is expected to impart people with skills for blue collar jobs and vocational jobs. However, South Korean education is professional oriented. The students lack entrepreneurship knowledge which has resulted in the reduction in the collar labor jobs where students have a stigma against vocational jobs. Recently, South Korea is among the nations with the lowest rates of employment, while many vocational jobs remain unfilled.

Conclusion

In conclusion, in South Korea, education is fundamental to citizens life. Education is the priority in many families as it is a way of improving the social experience as well as the economy of the country. However, the education system produces overeducated graduates in plenty with limited job opportunities. It is also believed that the education system fails to produce well-rounded graduates who can be accommodated in different jobs. It is the reason for the level of unemployment in South Korea has been increasing over the past years. The high level of unemployment is linked to poor living standards, and this does not reflect the South Korean education investment. Lack of professional strategies has affected the delivery of the education services ultimately affecting the performance of South Korean. The Korean education system produces graduants who are semi-skilled and cannot be fully accommodated in the competitive market that has changed over the years.

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Perkins, C. (2017). Living in . . . South Korea. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Peuch, J. (2011). The educational system in South Korea : a case study. Social Regimes and globalization, 23-45.

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Sami, F. (2013). South Korea: A success story in mathematics education. MathAMATYC Educator, 23-34.