Fundamental overhaul needed for education

Of this year’s freshmen in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) departments at Seoul National University (SNU), 41.8 percent were found to be lacking in math ability. In the test on 1,642 freshmen, 679 scored so poorly that they need to go back to high-school math level. The ratio has risen sharply from 30.3 percent in last year’s test. The finding should be alarming as such underperformance is found in the top university in a heated global race over artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

Underperformance in secondary schools has been deepening over the last decade. The ratio of high school students failing in basic academic performance shot up to 14.2 percent in 2021 versus 4.3 percent in 2012 in the case of math, to 7.1 percent from 2.1 percent in Korean language, and to 9.8 percent from 2.6 percent in English. In the Programme for International Student Assessment results released by the OECD in January, the mathematically-illiterate ratio among Korean students made up 15 percent.

The fall in academic standards coincides with the negligence of academic teaching in public schools under the guidance of liberal education superintendents. The increased liberalism such as “test-free semesters” in the school environment has added to the poor setting for academic learning. The atmosphere and conditions have gradually degraded academic standards.

What’s ironic is that students study more and harder these days. Yet their academic level is falling because they are merely trained for exams. Instead of being taught to understand the concept and build their own reasoning, students mechanically move from one test worksheet to another and end up losing interest in learning.

As math education is only focused on finding the right answer, many students give up the subject in early age. The purpose of mathematics is to build logical and cognitive thinking. It helps to build the ability to deduce and reason, not to mention learn basic counting for everyday life, or deeper analytical thinking.

According to Charles Fadel, founder of the Center for Curriculum Design, math and language remain the most important subjects from ancient days to present day. The ability to express the physical universe in metaphysical language was the power behind the evolution of the civilization, and language and mathematics were the basis.

SNU also tested freshmen on writing and found that 32 percent of them received the lowest grade. As humans think based on language, the lower grades in writing and speech can mean regression in thinking. Korea’s spending on private education hit a historic-high of 26 trillion won ($19.6 billion) last year.

What are all the academies and schools teaching our children? Education needs a fundamental overhaul.