By Park Sung-ik
Korea's overly competitive education and declining total fertility rate — 0.75 in 2024 — are social phenomena that are closely related to each other. This issue can be discussed from several perspectives.
Korea is well known for its entrance exam-oriented education system. Students must study a vast amount starting from middle school to prepare for high school and college entrance exams.
This competitive environment places great stress on students and forces them to prioritize academic achievement. Therefore, many families invest huge amounts of money in private education for their children. This adds to the financial burden and pushes parents to devote more time and resources to ensuring their children's success.
These high education and living costs further increase the cost of raising children, making them hesitant to have children. Many young people find it difficult to have children without financial stability. Moreover, due to social structures that make it difficult to balance career advancement and family life, women, in particular, tend to postpone marriage and childbirth. Concerns about career breaks also have a negative impact on fertility rates.
Efforts from the government and society are required to resolve the problem. For example, efforts are needed to improve such systems as child care leave and explore ways to reduce dependence on private education. Additionally, various policies and awareness improvements that support work-family balance will be needed.
Korea's competitive education system has many problems, and various reform measures to solve them can be discussed. The following are some measures for reforming competitive education in Korea.
First, the curriculum of secondary schools must be drastically revised. We need to break away from the existing cram-based education and create a curriculum tailored to students’ interests and aptitudes. There is a need to strengthen various elective courses and inquiry learning so that students can learn independently. We need to strengthen career education and support students in choosing a path that suits their aptitude and interests through programs that allow them to explore a variety of jobs and career paths.
Second, college entrance exam evaluation also needs drastic reform. We need to improve the College Scholastic Ability Test, move away from test score-centered evaluation in the process of selecting new students and introduce various evaluation methods through projects, presentations, portfolios, etc. This helps develop students' creativity and problem-solving skills.
Third, it is important to reduce dependence on private education by improving the quality of public education. Efforts are needed to recruit excellent teachers and bridge the educational gap in small and medium-sized cities and rural areas. In addition, we must regulate the private education market to create an environment where parents and students can be sufficiently competitive without relying on private education.
Fourth, we must establish a lifelong education system that serves not only adolescents but also adults, offering essential curricula and opportunities at different stages of life. This approach can foster individual growth while also contributing to the advancement of society as a whole. By implementing these measures, we can shift Korea’s competitive education system in a more positive direction and provide students with diverse opportunities for personal and academic development.
In conclusion, Korea's competitive education system and declining birth rate are complex issues that require a balanced approach.
Park Sung-ik ([email protected]) is a retired English teacher from Pungmoon Girls' High School.
English (United States) ·