In this blog post, I’d like to examine both the positive role and the limitations of school education, while discussing why schools must transform into an educational system that empowers students to think, judge, and act independently.
One of the popular jokes these days is “The Three Conditions for Getting into SKY.” It implies that to gain admission to so-called elite universities, one needs a harmonious balance of “a mother’s connections, a father’s indifference, and a grandfather’s wealth.” We used to enjoy sharing this joke among ourselves in high school because it so accurately satirized the absurd reality of our education system. As this kind of satire reveals, the goal of education today is to get into a prestigious university; what is most laughable, however, is the surreal reality in which the will and attitude of the students themselves—the very subjects of education—are completely ignored. Why has school education, which serves as the foundation of public education, degenerated into such a laughingstock?
The state-led modern school education system took shape from the 18th to the 19th century. Prior to that, education was a privilege enjoyed primarily by a select elite and also served as a means of maintaining that class’s power. After Prussia’s defeat by Napoleon’s army in 1806, the philosopher Fichte advocated for a new form of education for the German people in his “Address to the German Nation,” published from 1807 to 1808. However, Prussia’s compulsory education system itself was not first established following Fichte’s arguments. Frederick II had already promulgated school regulations strengthening compulsory education in 1763, and Fichte’s discourse subsequently became linked to the ideological debates surrounding public education in Germany. Thereafter, this form of modern school education spread to Europe, the United States, and Japan, and, alongside imperialist expansion, spread to various regions around the world. In any case, it cannot be denied that, thanks to the education of the entire population through school, even ordinary citizens were able to escape illiteracy, modern culture flourished, and a new chapter in historical development was opened. Furthermore, it achieved the tremendous feat of laying the foundation for the development of democracy through “equal opportunity.”
Not long ago, by chance, I read a book titled ‘Making Fools’, written by John Taylor Gatto, a former teacher, in which he describes the ills he observed in schools. He criticizes today’s public education system, arguing that it produces people who live their lives mistaking others’ thoughts for their own—rather than people capable of independent thought—and who live as directed by the state or the ruling class. As I read, I strongly identified with his scathing insight that schools are the very places that produce countless “failures” who see themselves as fools and feel frustrated, as well as “real fools” who believe themselves to be smart. My first thought was that I, too, might be a victim of this kind of school education. And I began to reflect more objectively on the concept of “school.”
From the moment we entered elementary school, we began to be “socialized” in earnest, forced to fit into a tightly structured mold. Elementary school students across the country learned the curriculum set by the government according to similar schedules, and teachers unilaterally instilled in us “facts” about what was right and what was wrong. It seems we never fully developed the ability to judge for ourselves what is right or wrong. We always sat in the same seats and learned to follow rules in sync with the ringing of the bell. In elementary school, we learned to sit still for 40 minutes; in middle school, for 45 minutes; and in high school, for 50 minutes. And this is a rule that everyone—whether a high achiever or a struggling student—accepts and follows. That’s because, the moment the bell rings, everyone automatically sits down in their seats, just like in Pavlov’s dog experiment.
Like many students who were admitted to Seoul National University, I studied hard throughout middle and high school. The reason was simply that “you’re supposed to study hard,” and because I was a “model student.” By the time I reached high school, that mindset had become so deeply ingrained that eventually, even without the “hakju”—the student monitor who carried a yellow PVC baton nicknamed “danmuji” and kept an eye out for slacking off—even when I was alone in my room with no one watching me, I would automatically start studying. It struck me that the state of the students—myself included—was similar to that of the prisoners in the “Panopticon” proposed by the British philosopher Jeremy Bentham. The Panopticon refers to a circular prison where a single guard monitors all prisoners; the theory holds that once prisoners become accustomed to this state, the effect of surveillance persists even if the actual act of surveillance ceases. In other words, the Panopticon is a principle whereby individuals discipline themselves due to the reality of a power that is unseen yet watching. Bentham’s idea was that prisoners, unable to act outside the rules because of the gaze monitoring them from an unseen place, eventually “internalize” these rules and begin to monitor themselves. The uniform disciplinary standards strongly instilled in schools today have become the Panopticon that constrains me. Ultimately, it seems that the reality of school education today is to teach students to strictly follow rules and conform to social norms—establishing a rigid framework from a very young age and not allowing them to step outside of it.
In the current school system, the state sets the overarching framework. Parents, in turn, trust the schools and entrust their children to them. However, these schools produce not creative individuals with warm empathy, but rather listless, cookie-cutter replicas with rigid, fixed ways of thinking. Having grown up receiving 12 years of such schooling myself, I’ve become an expert at memorizing and writing, but I’m clumsy when it comes to creating something on my own or making important decisions. In particular, because my parents, school, and teachers determined everything for me from a young age and I simply followed their lead, I’m extremely unskilled at making my own judgments and decisions.
Abolish schools? However, the idea of completely abolishing schools is an unrealistic proposition. I believe that without school education—which is the most economical and efficient way to educate large numbers of people—it would be difficult to ensure that all citizens receive an equal education. Schools are not merely places to acquire knowledge; they are venues for learning about culture and for forming relationships that prepare students to fulfill their roles as members of society in the future. So, how can we reform schools? Independent learning methods, community service, adventure and hands-on experiences, ample personal time and opportunities for solitude, and all kinds of field trips and practical training are often proposed as effective ways to reform the school system. I fully agree with this. And while it may be a recurring theme, I firmly believe that these numerous proposals must be consistently implemented alongside bold budgetary investments and given higher priority than any national economic development plan. Schools must be reborn as places that raise children not as “study machines,” but as mature individuals capable of thinking and acting independently, while also possessing warm emotional intelligence.
Sweden has developed a school system that emphasizes a relatively flexible learning environment, student autonomy, and project-based education. A prime example is Sweden’s Vittra. Vittra was once widely known as the “school without classrooms,” but today’s Vittra Telefonplan operates both classrooms and a variety of learning spaces, educating students from preschool through ninth grade. Students learn through projects and topics connected to real life, with a focus on cultivating competencies such as creativity, responsibility, collaboration, and self-reflection. Currently, Vittra Telefonplan also offers educational programs that incorporate technology education and makerspaces.
The “Baccalauréat,” which can be considered France’s college entrance exam, differs from tests that merely evaluate speed in solving problems; it includes elements that assess philosophical thinking and writing skills. Currently, in France’s general and technical Baccalauréat programs, the philosophy exam is administered alongside exams in elective subjects, French, oral exams, and continuous assessment. In particular, the philosophy exam remains one of the main final exams of the Baccalauréat. Therefore, extensive reading and training in formulating one’s own thoughts play a crucial role in helping students broaden their horizons and discover their identities. Japan, too, began fully implementing “Yutori Education” in 2002, aiming to reduce class hours and curriculum content to give students more leisure time; however, as the curriculum was subsequently adjusted, this policy was significantly revised. At the time, Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) reduced the annual number of class hours and carefully selected curriculum content, while also introducing a new “Time for Comprehensive Learning.”
Furthermore, alternative schools and homeschooling—which are currently gaining attention in South Korea—can also be seen as part of the effort to overcome the contradictions and problems inherent in public education. In a recent online article, I found it very encouraging to read that Nature Village School in Gangneung implements an integrated education system that does not distinguish between the humanities and sciences, and has made liberal arts courses such as “100 Selected Humanistic Classics” part of its core curriculum. However, as complementary systems to public education, alternative schools and homeschooling still face many challenges in their implementation. In the case of homeschooling, key issues include the fact that success depends entirely on the parents’ teaching abilities, the near-total lack of learning materials for home-based education, and the absence of social skills training. Alternative schools, meanwhile, face various obstacles, such as social prejudice and the need to develop diverse programs designed to help students discover their individual talents. To address this, I believe schools must take the lead by providing learning materials and development programs, and by establishing an open system that allows for seamless transfer and compatibility with alternative education at any time.
The introduction of such diverse learning environments will, above all, result in a significant expansion of the curriculum to encourage creative learning activities within school education. In addition to enhancing self-directed learning abilities, diverse curricula that integrate the humanities and sciences will contribute to the development of well-rounded individuals with a solid foundation in general education. Furthermore, this approach will provide students with additional opportunities and information to help them determine their future career paths. It will also offer an alternative path to the many students who struggle to adapt to the current public education system, which relies on rote memorization and a one-size-fits-all approach. In fact, at alternative schools that aim to “realize responsible education centered on learning and care, leaving no student behind,” improving grades was not the original goal; however, it is said that as children enjoy studying at school, their grades naturally improve. I believe that when students’ human rights are respected in this way, teachers will also be respected, and issues of school violence will be resolved much more easily. If we operate learner-centered, autonomous programs; reduce class sizes and student numbers to enable meaningful human interaction between learners and teachers; and develop learning plans on an equal footing, I anticipate that this may lead to a reduction in the high reliance on private tutoring—a critical social issue today. It seems that now is the time for all of us to help, with open minds, in creating an educational environment conducive to student learning, rather than worrying about what to teach.
According to educational statistics from the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation and the Ministry of Education, the dropout rate has changed significantly compared to the past, standing at 0.7% for elementary schools, 0.8% for middle schools, and 2.1% for high schools as of 2024. In particular, the high school dropout rate rose from 1.9% in 2011 to 2.1% in 2024, indicating that the issue of students dropping out of school remains a critical challenge. Furthermore, a study published in 2011 revealed that South Korean adolescents ranked 35th out of 36 countries in terms of social interaction skills. That study examined relationship-building, social cooperation, and conflict management, and South Korean adolescents scored 0.31 out of 1 on social interaction competencies. While these statistics and research findings cannot explain the problems in South Korea’s education system based on a single cause, they clearly serve as data that prompts us to reflect on how an education system that places excessive emphasis on knowledge and grades affects students’ social competencies and school life. In particular, given that the educational environment itself is changing rapidly—as evidenced by the fact that in 2024, the total number of students in preschool, elementary, and secondary schools decreased by 98,867 compared to the previous year—we need to consider an educational system that meets the changing needs of students and society, rather than clinging solely to the educational methods of the past.
I can say with certainty that schools must no longer be places that unilaterally instill existing knowledge or ideologies. We must envision an education that gives our children the freedom and initiative to think for themselves. Satish Kumar once stated in ‘Small Is Beautiful’: “Give children love, but do not give them thoughts.” I believe this is a principle that today’s school education must uphold to avoid mass-producing fools. Modern society is facing a serious crisis of maturity among its entire population and all its members. From a young age, we have become accustomed to meekly conforming and being dependent, like flowers in a small greenhouse. Our “schools” must become places that teach us how to make our own judgments and take direct action—and serve as microcosms of the society we will eventually experience.
