This Wednesday, the Education Commission visited the Mirim Meister High School in Seoul, Korea. In attendance were two Commissioners – Teopista Birungi Mayanja and Ju-Ho Lee. Commissioner Lee is the former Minister of Education and spearheaded the creation and inauguration of the Meister Schools. The Meister Schools are government-sponsored high schools that foster academic excellence through high-tech facilities and on-site technical training. The Commissioners were greeted by Hyeng Won Lee, Principal of the Mirim Meister High School and additional staff members.

During this visit to the Mirim Meister High School for girls, a brief presentation was held on the organizational structure and achievements of the school. Mirim Meister attributes much of its success to its customized curriculum designed for, and based on, industry needs. This industry-based curriculum is developed by education, government, and leading industry professionals with the aim of identifying the latest trends, challenges, and needs in the new media content industry. Mirim Meister’s curriculum guarantees an inventory of graduates will be competitive for, and capable in, top jobs in the new media content industry. The widespread success the school has witnessed has been attributed to its novel curriculum.

After the presentation, there was a brief tour of the school and its high-tech facilities. Thanks to strong, forward-thinking leadership, the classrooms showcased creativity and innovation and the students demonstrated their burgeoning leadership and professional skills. Among the 38 Meister high schools designed throughout Korea, Mirim Meister High School is the only one dedicated to the new media content field. When the Mirim School opened in 1991, it stood as Korea’s first all-girls high school specializing in computer science. The school’s aim was clear: to develop female professional IT technicians capable of leading future technological advances. In 2004, the school was selected to develop technical discipline nodes specializing in mobile content and communication. With a performance record defined by success, the Mirim School was selected to become a Meister High School in 2010.

Today, the Mirim Meister High School is proud of the following accomplishments:

  • 100% employment after graduation
  • Opportunities for students to study and train abroad
  • National scholarship covering all students for three years of attendance
  • High-tech educational environments
  • On-site customized education focus
  • College education compatibility with job opportunities

The Mirim Meister High School is in the business of “creating future master craftswomen in the new media content, design, and smart application fields,” and it was the Education Commission’s privilege to see this firsthand.