In recent decades, private education in South Korea has become an indispensable part of daily life, largely due to a widespread distrust in the public school system. Various private educational institutions, otherwise known as hagwons, now serve as an important complement to traditional public education by offering not only private lessons, but also assistance with exam preparation and university admissions. Students, who face intense competition when it comes to schooling, spend long hours at these institutions in order to improve their grades, particularly when they await the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), whose structure and role in college admissions further perpetuate the need for private education among Korean high school students. However, while private education can improve an individual’s academic performance, this relentless pursuit of academic excellence nevertheless raises important concerns regarding the accompanying negative consequences. These include large tolls on both physical and mental health, significant financial burdens on families, as well as the exacerbation of educational inequality. However, despite these risks, families still heavily invest in private education and view it as a necessary investment in the social ascent and future of their children. Government policies have sought to address these various issues, mainly by promoting fairness and providing alternatives to private education, yet these efforts have, up till now, shown mixed results. Consequently, as the role of private education continues to expand, it increasingly affects not only educational outcomes, but also the broader socio-economic structure of South Korean society.
|
