Hamdeok High School has become Jeju’s first to offer a music major, and Aewol High School has become its first to offer a fine arts major. Initial reservations that there wouldn’t be enough student interest have proven unfounded. Mike Balfour reports.




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Hamdeok High School in Jocheon-eup, Jeju City

Hamdeok High School accepted student applications for a major in music - a first - for the school year beginning in March 2017.

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‘Too early to accept students for music major’

Some people are worried that the school started accepting students too early.


To date, no classrooms have been allotted to the major and no musical instruments have been appropriated.


Some speculated that the entrance quota would not be reached due to the location of the school in a rural part of Jeju City.

However, the turnout has been successful.


44 middle schoolers have applied for the 40 music major positions.

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44 applicants for 40 openings


More than 80 percent of the applicants are from middle schools in Jeju City. Five students are from Seogwipo schools.

Interview
Kim Seung-up / Principal, Hamdeok High School
Five students from Seogwipo, 12 from rural areas of Jeju City, and the remaining 27 are from eastern Jeju City.
[인터뷰 김승업 / 함덕고등학교 교장]
"서귀포지역 5명, 읍면지역 학생이 12명 등 합계 17명이고 나머지는 동지역 학생이 27명 포함해 총 44명이 됩니다. "


Aewol High School also accepted student applications for arts major for the first time.

The application rate is higher than the school in Hamdeok.


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1.7 students apply for every opening in Aewol HS arts major

68 middle schoolers applied for the 40 slots as arts major. That’s a rate of 1.7:1.

Education authorities have been pushed to get busier as more students than expected applied for the schools.

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Construction will soon begin on classrooms

The schools are planning to hire contractors to build new classrooms as soon as possible. They are consulting with the provincial council to provide teaching aids and hire teachers.


Interview
Yi Gang-sik / Provincial office of education
Jeju has never had formal arts education at the high school level. I think islanders' demand for those kind of schools has now been met.
[인터뷰 이강식 / 제주도교육청 정책기획과 장학관]
"그동안 고등학교 단계에서 예술교육을 할 수 있는 기관이 없었습니다. 그런 도민들의 요구가 이번 접수 현황에 반영된 것이 아닌가 생각합니다."


[Reporter] Mike Balfour
[Camera] Kim Yong-min

Education insiders hope the specialized schools will meet community demand and invigorate high schools in rural areas.


Mike Balfour, KCTV