Education in South Korea and Germany, Differences (Essay Sample)

Comparison of Education Systems in Germany and South Korea
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Abstract
The education systems in Germany and South Korea are successful systems. Since the countries are culturally different, this paper seeks to address the differences in the two systems while addressing the role of education in the two societies. In addition, the paper shall look into the interplay between the culture and education in both countries.
Comparison of Education Systems in Germany and South Korea
Introduction
One of the fundamental ways to secure a future for any country is to invest in the education of the youth. South Korea and Germany can be said to be doing well on this front. To find how they have achieved the success, a study is important to reveal the perspective that the society has toward education and extensively show the relationship between the culture of the community and its education system. The best approach to conducting such an analysis is based on the ecological theory..
Comparability of the Two Education Systems
A study reported by Johnny Chatin ranked South Korea’s education system to be the best in the world, while Germany was ranked in the twelfth position. Comparing the countries against each other would reveal what elements in the system make them be regarded as effective to their countries. In addition, it shall be a representative study of the wider continents of Europe and Asia because there are similarities in the education systems neighboring one another. The other reason to justify the comparison of the education system of the two countries is their history. Germany was a colonizing country, while South Korea was a colonized country.
Countries Fairly Compared
Higher levels of education are considered to be more important in South Korea than in Germany. There exists an assumption that there is a huge difference in living standards between those who are highly educated in South Korea than there is in Germany. In fact, the number of people who pursue university education in Germany is smaller than the number in South Korea. Additionally, an attempt to introduce the German model of education where there is vocational training in South Korea Failed in the 1980s and 1990s. Curiosity would make any reasonable person wonder why there is difference in approach to education in these two countries.
Ecological relevance to Education
Significance of Education
The microsystem has had an influence in the formulation of the education systems in both countries. An illustration of this would be to have an understanding of how students’ actions are influenced by the system. In Germany, education is meant to improve a person’s skills in preparation for the job market. The system operates on the basis of identification of skills at an early age and putting the children with the same skills together to study and to improve their abilities. The belief is that putting all the students to study together will be unfavorable to others since those who are needier are likely to suffocate the ambitions of those who are less needy. Based on identification and separation, the education system has identified three levels of education for the children from the time after World War II (Andell, 2008). Those who are considered intellectually superior are placed in the Gymnasium, the average ones in the Realshule, while those who rank lowest are placed in the Hauptshule (Hoffman, 2011). Those who attend the Gymnasium are given ample opportunities their access to university is slightly easier than that of those in the other groups since they are perceived as having the potential to be better employees in terms of production.
One other avenue through which the education system shows its orientation towards job placement is the dual program of study. Under this program, the students are expected to secure internships in firms that relate to their area of study. The perception is that the students are given an opportunity to combine the theory learnt in school with the practicality found in the firms.
On the other hand, in South Korea, the focus is on passing exams and achieving the highest possible level of education. The highlight of this is the November university entry exams. Students take years to prepare for these exams and take extreme measures to pass them. In contrast to Germany, the students all learn together in the same classes and schools from an early age. The reason why education is focused on attaining the highest level of education possible is that education is considered as a path towards a better life in the society. Following colonization by Japan until this day, education has been equated to better living, an opportunity to hold a leadership position and privileges to the person and his/her family. Such incentives make individuals strive to be educated and reach the highest levels of education possible.
The Influence of Culture on the Education Systems
To best understand how the macrosystem has dictated the kind of the education system for the two countries, one needs to understand the structure of the respective societies. Just like most Asian countries, South Korea is a Communitarian society (Sunwoo Shin, n.d). Families make huge investments and sacrifices that so that the students get the best education possible (Kim-Renaud, Grinken, and Larsen, 2005). The same reason is applicable in explaining why the government invests heavily in education: because the benefits of education shall be for the good of the entire population.
On the other hand, Germans are capitalists and are guided by individualism. The focus is for the student to acquire skills that can enable him/her secure a job for himself/herself to earn a living. It is no surprise that the parents are not as enthusiastic in the education of their children as the parents in South Korea are. As a result, the obligation is on the students to put effort to make themselves better.
How Composition of the Population Influence the Education System
Another ecological aspect that can be identified in the education system of both countries is the exosy...