The new Korea University (KU) President, Yeom Jaeho, revealed his plan to eliminate currently existing school policies, one of which includes mandatory attendance. This bold, unprecedented move stirred up much controversy among students, who have become divided on whether such abolishment is reasonable or not. Until any changes are made, these heated debates will continue throughout the semester.

 

Students will generally agree that it is a great hassle to wake up and make it to first period classes by 9 A.M. sharp just so they can fulfill the two thirds attendance requirement and, hopefully, not fail the class. Among them, those who have to go through the ordeal of commuting between the two campuses further agree that it is unfair for teacher assistants or professors to call attendance immediately at the start of the class. Students may ask why such policy even exist, and it has left them wondering for quite some time.

 

KU, for one, has been implementing the mandatory attendance policy because of the guidelines set by the Ministry of Education (MOE). The government department most probably laid down the said rule for the purpose of gradually and ultimately improving education in Korea. The supposed intention behind this rule sounds just and rational, but it may never have dawned on the legislators that this principle might interfere with other important matters.

 

One of those matters is that higher education is optional. In other words, students in an ideal society choose to attend a college because they want to and not because they have to, although, these days, they are forced to proceed with their education because of the pressure from their parents. The absence of the sense of obligation leaves the duty of educating oneself to the students themselves. Hence, it is ultimately up to the students whether or not they wish to participate in a class, and this issue is outside the jurisdiction of the MOE.

 

Perhaps the most important reason for the nullification is that the school can finally treat the students as adults through the abolishment. Although the policy per se may not seem to be giving improper treatment on the surface, its implications mean something different. Going back to the aforementioned point, students, as they attend colleges, are now in charge of their own education. No matter what they decide to do instead of coming to class, whether it be working on a team project or preparing for a license test, the school should respect their decisions and not mark them down on their choices.

 

 

Speaking of educating oneself, many methods exist other than attending a class. Learning from books has been the traditional one, but thanks to a great advance in technology, students are now able to access almost any kind of information via the Internet. Yale University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have been uploading open courses on YouTube, and like such, KU should also upload many of its courses online in an effort to provide means of education other than attending a class.

 

The issue of the mandatory attendance has been an ongoing issue for colleges across the nation and has triggered a series of intense discussions among students. Despite the policy’s intentions, it does not seem to have shown any promising results. Through its elimination, schools can protect the original purpose of college, respect the students’ freedom in their education methods, and treat students with the proper respect they deserve as mature adults.