율곡(栗谷) 이이(李珥)의 『학교모범(學校模範)』에 나타난 고등교육 정책:정치와 교육의 변증법을 중심으로

Abstract

Through an act of education, human beings develop their potential abilities in them and experience lives as a laborer and as a citizen of a country. Advancement of humankind’s civilization cannot be understood completely without education system operated by a nation. Education is that much crucial in deepening understanding about a country’s politics. Yulgok Yi I’s view on educational issues stands out because his interests span not only Su-Ki, education for oneself, but also education for others. He, then the prominent political scientist and government official, wrote Model School(Hakkomobeom) by the order of Seonjo, the fourteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty. Aimed at innovating the country’s higher education institutions Seonggyungwan and Sahak, and Hyanggyo in non-capital areas, Model School’s’ key messages are as follows: First, all education should pursue successful lives at an individual, family, nation, and school level. This eventually should be related to ensuring happiness for every member of a community. Second, students’ dignity and right to education should not be violated for any occasion. Third, teachers should be recruited under strict selection processes yet also be offered with educational and social rewards to garner enough respect. Forth, any students, regardless of socioeconomic status, should be given opportunities to get into educational institutions only based on their academic zeal and performance. Such equity and openness should be secured, and school affairs should be regulated strictly. Fifth, there should be no discrimination between the nation’s higher education institutions at the capital --Seonggyungwan and Sahak, and institutions at non-capital areas-- Hyanggyo. The only distinction should be where those institutions are located in. These policy suggestions made by Yulgok still have strong relevance to today’s education reform.