Monthly tuition at children's English academies exceed W1 mil.

By Kim Bo-eun

The average tuition at children’s English academies in Seoul costs 1.03 million won ($892) a month, according to a study by a civic group.

Based on data from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, World Without Worries about Shadow Education examined 237 academies which offered at least three hours of classes a day.

At 1.03 million won a month, a year’s worth of tuition amounts to 12.36 million won ($10,704). This is 4.7 times the amount parents spend on sending their children to private kindergartens and 1.8 times the amount of yearly tuition at a four-year university.

The monthly tuition at the most expensive children’s English academy in Songpa-gu, southern Seoul is 2.16 million won.

The academies on average offer five hours and seven minutes of classes, one hour and 47 minutes longer than daily classes for first and second graders in elementary school, and 10 minutes longer than classes at middle school.

An academy in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul, offers eight hours and 15 minutes of classes daily.

Public kindergartens offer four to five hours of classes daily, but they are mostly based on play and activities.

“However, the classes at academies are based on English reading, writing, listening and speaking, and long hours of study that do not consider children’s development stages can impede healthy growth,” the group said.

Data from the education office showed 13 new children’s English academies opened in the past year. The monthly tuition increased by 53,000 won and classes by 10 minutes.

“With no social restriction on tuition or length of classes at children’s English academies, children are becoming exposed to extended hours of study and parents are being burdened with high expenses,” the group said.