Schools in South Korea

Schools in South Korea

Located in East Asia, South Korea is one of the most heavily militarized countries in the world. The country is famous due to its high-tech cities, old Buddhist temples, and sub-tropical islands. South Korea ranks 7th in the 2018 PISA rankings. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the country is the most educated in the world.

South Korea has a top-quality education system. Compulsory education begins from age six to the age of fifteen years. Students spend six years in primary school, three years in lower secondary, and three years in upper secondary education. A majority of the country’s children are in preschool. Parents have the option of a public or private preschool. However, the ratio of private to public education is 7:3.

Primary education consists of nine core subjects. These subjects include moral education, mathematics, Korean language, science, physical education, music, fine arts, practical arts, and social science. Primary school aims to develop the students to civic moral members of society. The study also aims to improve the basic abilities, skills, and attitudes of the learners. Students begin learning English in the third grade. According to the Ministry of Education, learning English in the third grade makes it easier for the students to learn English as they learn it in a conversational setting.

After primary school, students progress to lower secondary school. Admission to lower secondary is granted without entrance exams. Students at this stage continue with the same subjects that they were studying in grades 3 and 6. But, the subjects are on different topics. Students have an “Exam-free semester.” This semester is an opportunity for the learners to take a non-traditional course or their independent course. Aside from the core subjects, the learners also take some elective subjects. Girls take home economics, whereas boys take technical education. The learners are awarded a Junior High School diploma upon completion.

Upper secondary education caters to learners aged 15 to 18 years. There are various types of High Schools in the country. They include:

• General High Schools
• Vocational High Schools
• Science High Schools
• Special High Schools e.g.Art High Schools, Foreign Language schools

Admission to the upper secondary is competitive. Students have to complete an entrance exam. If the child wants to attend general high school, then he/she must wait to be allocated by the local authorities. Alternatively, learners who wish to attend a vocational high school may indicate their school of choice. Education at Upper High School level consists of subjects in the national curriculum, as well as some elective subjects. Learners are required to choose cluster subjects that they would like to pursue. A high school certificate is awarded upon completion of upper secondary school.

Science high schools focus on natural sciences. Pupils in these schools can complete the three-year program in two years. After that, the learners can progress to a prestigious tertiary institution without entrance exams. The same rule applies to learners in specialized high schools. Only the most talented learners in that field, for example, arts, music, dance, and foreign languages, are admitted to tertiary institutions. However, the admission partly depends on the recommendation of the middle school principal or teacher.

Interesting Facts:

• The country’s major cities, e.g., Seoul, are the hubs for International Schools.
• Since the 1970s, the country has introduced an ‘equalization zone’ policy. The policy aimed to reduce the competition to enroll in prestigious schools. Students in ‘equalization zones’ are admitted to the school by lottery. Schools in the zones have no entrance exam to lower secondary. Furthermore, the exams in upper secondary have minimum competency to reduce competition.
• The language of instruction in grades one and two is Korean. Students also take subjects known as ‘Good Life,’ ‘Wise life,’ and ‘Happy life.’
• A high number of students attend ‘cram schools.’