SNU Unification School held its first graduation ceremony on November 28th at the College of Education. 46 elementary and middle school level students received their graduation certificates from the 8-week program after it started last August.
The graduation ceremony marked the end to an experimental program that exposed students to an educational environment of a unified Korea. Established by the SNU Unification Education Research Center, the program did not simply aim to teach students on topics such as ethics and political theories related to unification like other similar programs. But rather, it created a simulated school environment of Korea after unification. The curriculum primarily consisted of regular school courses such as Korean language, Math and Arts. There were even recess periods similar to an actual school schedule. The program was further complemented by SNU student mentors, who assisted with the teaching.
SNU Unification School was conducted biweekly during the weekend over a period of three months. A total of 77 individuals participated in the 8-week program, which was comprised of students and teachers of both South and North Korean origin. Students and teachers from North Korea were primarily defectors who settled in South Korea. The participants’ backgrounds allowed the program to create a genuine educational environment in a unified Korea.
Regarding the program, the Director of the Unification Education Research Center Professor PARK Seong-chun (Dept. of Ethics Education) stated, “We worked towards establishing a realistic and effective education method after unification, and as an experimental effort, the SNU Unification School provides a possible vision for the education system of a unified Korea”
The Unification Education Research Center was established in May of last year with the mission to provide possible answers to the various problems on the education system that will surface during and after the unification process. The center has hosted various seminars and forums on the North Korean educational system, and has worked with North Korean defectors through programs such as the pre-university program for defectors, which highlights their role in the modern Korean society. The recent graduation ceremony of SNU Unification School signals a positive direction towards the preparation for the unification process.
The Unification Education Research Center is located in Building 11 at the College of Education.
Written by Yun Hwan Chae, SNU English Editor, yunhwanchae@snu.ac.kr
Reviewed by Eli Park Sorensen, SNU Professor of Liberal Studies, eps7257@snu.ac.kr