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Table 4-8 ❙ Level of satisfaction with the competencies of workers with a high school diploma
Classification Number
of cases
Average (standard deviation)
Minimum value
Maximum
value t
Total 378 2.92
(0.53) 1.00 4.00
Public company 57 2.82
(0.56) 2.00 4.00
Private company 321 2.94
(0.52) 1.00 4.00
Size of company
Small and medium-sized businesses
(less than 300 employees) 232 2.87
(0.53) 1.00 4.00
-2.28*
Middle-level companies/Major
companies (more than 300) 146 3.01
(0.50) 2.00 4.00
Area of business
Manufacturing industry 165 2.97
(0.54) 1.00 4.00
Non-manufacturing industry 195 2.91
(0.50) 2.00 4.00
* p < .05
Source: Park, Oh and Huh (2013). P. 88.
Similarly, businesses have a relatively higher level of satisfaction with the competencies of high school graduates, planning to expand the number of workers with high school diplomas. With the changes in the perception of such manpower, as well as employment practices, school parents and students have a positive perception of the employment of high school graduates, and at specialized high schools, more and more students intend to enter the workforce.
general technical high schools, technical special-purpose high schools, and comprehensive high schools. When the “Policy for the Advancement of High School Vocational Education” was announced in 2010 and the Enforcement Decree of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was revised, “specialized high schools,” which were a type of school, replaced “technical high schools” that encompassed secondary vocational education schools. In this process, comprehensive high schools classified as technical high schools in the past were excluded, so the share of specialized high schools among high schools began to decline, including the number of schools and number of students.
Starting from 2010, the reform of specialized high schools was made. The objectives of the reform were to regain the identity of the schools through the operation of employment-centered specialized high schools and train/supply excellent high school graduates necessary for society at the national level. Therefore, specialized high schools had a higher employment rate of 40% in 2013, compared to 10% in the past.
To some degree, the rise in the employment rate was driven by the exclusion of comprehensive high schools from specialized high schools. Most of all, this was largely attributable to a growing awareness of the purpose of specialized high schools by principals, teaching staff, students, school parents, and businesses.
In the past, technical high schools were mainly led by the Ministry of Education of the central government. However, starting from 1998, with the establishment of specialized high schools, the Ministry of Education, other government ministries, local autonomous governments, industries, etc. started to collaborate. Accordingly, specialized high schools had more finances because they received additional finances, including government subsidies from other government ministries or industries counterpart investments, away from general grants issued by the Ministry of Education to the Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education, which allocated the budget to specialized high schools in the past. In addition, starting from 2011, students in specialized high schools received free education, because the government offered them a full scholarship, including admission fee and tuition.
From 2001, as the designation of specialized high schools was made from the
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Ministry of Education to the Metropolitan and Provincial offices of Education, the superintendent of the Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education had the authority to designate/operate specialized high schools, taking into account the social/
economic characteristics of the Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education.
Since 2010, an assessment of the operation of specialized high schools has been made every five years. If the schools failed to meet goals, the designation could be revoked.
Accordingly, ranging from the designation of specialized high schools to their operation and the revocation, the whole authority fell upon the superintendent of the Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education.
Since the performance assessment of specialized high schools was introduced for the first time, it is expected that specialized high schools will move towards secondary vocational education institutes with their competitive edge. Furthermore, it is prospected that they will establish themselves as the central institutes for training the manpower necessary for the characteristics of local industries.
References
Joint-relevant authorities (2010). The Policy for Advancement of High School Vocational Education.
Huh, Y. J., & J. W. Kim (2013). A Study on Measures to Provide Support for Specialized High Schools in Association with Government Ministries, Local Autonomous Governments and Industries. KRIVET.
Ministry of Education (Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development or Ministry of Education, Science and Technology) (1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013). Educational Statistics Yearbook.
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2010). Measures for Promoting Vocational High School.
Ministry of Education (2013). Strategies for Promoting Specialized High Schools Linked with Relevant Government Ministries/Local Autonomous Governments, and Industries.
Ministry of Education & Human Resources Development (2007a). Strategies for Technical High School Promotion.
Ministry of Education & Human Resources Development (2007b). A Plan for the Development of Specialized Technical High Schools by Government Ministries.
Ministry of Government Legislation (2013). The Enforcement Decree of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. www.law.go.kr (2013.8.20).
Presidential Committee on Education Innovation (1996). Methods for Education Reform to Establish New Education System Leading in a Globalization and Information Age (II).
Presidential Committee on Education Innovation (2005). A Plan for Innovation in Vocational Education System.