著者

田中 光晴

出版者

日本比較教育学会

雑誌

比較教育学研究 (ISSN:09166785)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.2009, no.38, pp.87-107, 2009

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In Japan, the issue of private tutoring expenses has been debated as a social issue for some time. We have recently seen a new phase regarding private tutoring expenses; for example, several public junior-high schools are affiliated with specific private tutoring schools and offer after-school facilities to support extra education for students. Despite the significant function and impact of taking advantage of private tutoring, past educational research has neglected to focus on these aspects. Different from other educational issues such as equal educational opportunity and diversity in public education, these issues go beyond public education and limitations exist to discuss them only within the public education arena. How private tutoring and public education will establish a cooperative relationship has presented considerable controversy.In South Korea, the issue of private tutoring has also been debated for several years, yet with considerably more intensity. Since the 1960s, private tutoring expenses have been recognized as social issues and the South Korean government has been attempting to take various measures toward them. However, while the government is tackling the issues, we have not seen much progress or improvement. This article investigates the reasons behind this lack of progress, aiming to disclose the historical background, relevant factors and the current situation of private tutoring expenses in South Korea. It approaches the subject from the perspective of educational policy, revealing a vicious circle whereby new governmental policies concerning private tutoring expenses have in turn caused other private tutoring expense issues.Through reviewing the background of issues concerning private tutoring expenses, it becomes obvious that the primary reason why private tutoring expenses developed as social concern is rooted in radical entrance examination policies after the 1960's, which evolved with the development of mass education. Although these policies achieved a high degree of equality of educational opportunity, the rigid college admission system is characterized by contradictions. Therefore, many students started to seek supplementary education outside of school to differentiate themselves from their peers. In South Korea, a paradigm shift in private tutoring has recently become apparent. (View PDF for the rest of the abstract)