Bo-eun leads the digital content team. She has covered foreign affairs, North Korea, tech, economy and gender issues at The Korea Times. She did a short stint at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where she obtained a new perspective on news production and life. Small sources of joy for her are lounging in the sun, having a good latte and swimming.
Average age of Seoul teachers climbs to 41.5
By Kim Bo-eun
The average age of school teachers in the capital has risen by 2.1 years over the last 10 years, statistics showed Monday.
According to data from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the average age of teachers in 2012 was 41.5, up from 39.4 in 2002.
“Increased competition is making it more difficult to pass the teacher certification examination, and the average age of newly appointed teachers has been rising accordingly,” said an official.
The statistics show that the average age of school teachers in the city has been increasing steadily.
The average age of teachers at kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school in 2002 was 29.5, 39.1, 39.8 and 41.9. It rose to 30.5, 40.1, 42.3 and 43.2, respectively, in 2007. The rise continued, marking 31.3, 40.6, 43.7 and 43.7 last year.
The number of kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school teachers in the city increased by 8.5 percent from 71,595 in 2002 to 77,662 last year.
In 2002, there were more teachers in their 20s than those in their 50s or older, but this was reversed last year.
Teachers in their 50s or older totaled 21,744 last year up from 11,630 a decade ago. They accounted for 28 percent of the total number of teachers, up from 16.2 percent.
On the other hand, there were 12,984 teachers in their 20s last year, down from 14,173 in 2002. They took up 16.7 percent last year, down by 3.1 percentage points from 19.8 in 2002.