Daily Lessons from Life 14 April 2011 - Prestigious Korean university rocked by student suicides

"Prestigious Korean university rocked by student suicides - CNA 14 April 2011

SEOUL : South Korea's top science and technology university is set to overhaul the way it is run, after a spate of suicides.

Since January, four students and one professor from the Korea Advance Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have taken their own lives.

The university's President has since caved in to mounting anger over the deaths and promised reform.

Becoming a KAIST student is a dream for many young Koreans.

Set up in 1971, KAIST is one of the most prestigious universities in the country.

Tuition fees amounting to about US$6,800 per semester and are all paid for by the government.

But if a student's grade point average falls below 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, it's no longer free.

And the lower the grade drops, the more the student has to pay.

Once the grade falls below 2.0, the student has to pay the full tuition fees.

This system - put in place by KAIST president Suh Nam Pyo in 2007- is now being blamed for the suicides of four students.

The first student committed suicide in January. The 19-year-old was known as a robot genius for his talent in assembling robots. He complained of extreme stress.

The latest student - who was also 19 - jumped to his death on April 7.

The university's President Suh is now being pressured to resign."

An experiment gone awry? Another 'stupid' idea to tight Education to Money!! Apparently some of these students do not have the money to pay the tuition when their grades fell below the 'free' zone!! As to why the students fell below the 'acceptable grade' and how, if it did, did not the univeristy helped is unknown or not reported here.

Lessons for me are:

1. never tie grade to money in education. Once the kids get into this 'prestigious' university, the focus is on helping them to help themselves fulfill their maximum potential; Notes: of course, if it is a scholarship, the students do know that there are minimal expectations. So, scholars do come under pressure when their studies are not going the right way. The Key is to help them and not to pile more pressure.

2. if there are some who fall behind, the authority needs to try to find out the reasons. If the programs are beyond the kids, find a way out for them. If they are slacking or losing focus due to other distractions, help them to realize that and pull themselves back on track;

3. a 19-year old death is 1 death too many. Not especially when the students were supposed to be the best in order to get into this prestigious university!