▲ Principal Ko Myeong-ok

Innovation is one of the keywords many companies and institutions take into account nowadays for sustainable growth. When it comes to education, the importance of the word becomes amplified. Schools should equip students with basic knowledge and universities deepen the knowledge to foster talented manpower for each field of our society. Innovative thinking encourages students to be creative and innovative curriculum promotes them to spread their abilities in fullness. 

Humanity! Creativity! Capability!
Opened in 2007, Daejeon Gao High School has exerted to foster talented future manpower under the motto humanity, creativity and capability. With its core philosophy of what it takes to be a man, students are encouraged to actively engage in various cultural programs alongside the regular course. 

The after school programs, in particular, deepen the knowledge of students in Korean, English, math, science, society, art and sports while Chinese, Japanese and music are provided as options to choose from. Principal Ko Myeong-ok took the steering wheel September last year after her career as a vice commissioner of the Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education and a deputy principal of Daejeon Noeun High School. 

Special classes and club activities
Daejeon Gao High School runs a special class for Kookhakkigong. The 2 hour session takes place every Monday and Friday and average 15 students join the class. It was last October that the school introduced this class. 

“I saw the bulletin of the Korea Kookhak Kigong Association that it runs a traditional sports course with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. I then was thinking of the need for a sports class since students tend to stay in-door. So I applied for the course and it seems to be receiving positive respond from students” says Ham Dong-hyuk, the guidance teacher of the special class. 

He continues “Kookhakkigong is an exercise you can do it alone and it does not require excessive movement. I see it highly beneficial as it is arousing curiosity of students and promoting mental and physical health at the same time.” 

The special class, however, is not only the program the school can show off but a variety of club activities from music, dance and musical to broadcasting, discussion and astronomical observation. It is encouraging that an outdoor theater within the school is used for regular performances which normally take place 3 to 4 times a year. 

Other supportive programs include career consulting, farming and café running. It is notable that teachers of special classes won the second prize at the ‘Excellent Cases of Student Startup Programs’.

“We are also running a certification course to maximize the possibilities of students getting a job as soon as they leave the school. Daejeon Gao High School values highly of student-centered education and we will keep exerting to make the most of our student’s ability and talent so that they can play positive and productive roles in our society in the future” says principal Ko.