Lawmakers advance bill to ban entrance tests at English cram schools for preschoolers

A sign for an English kindergarten is seen in Gangnam District, Seoul, March 13. Yonhap

A revised bill banning entrance exams for preschoolers at English-language academies passed the National Assembly’s Education Committee on Tuesday, in a move to curb excessive competition in early private education.

The so-called “4- and 7-year-old test,” used by some English academies, requires preschoolers to take assessments beyond their age level, such as reading complex passages or demonstrating conversational skills. The practice has drawn criticism for placing undue pressure on children.

The revised bill updates the Act on the Establishment and Operation of Private Teaching Institutes and Extracurricular Lessons by adding a provision barring such institutions from administering pass-or-fail entrance tests for children ages 3 through the start of elementary school.

Still, a short oral level test after admission will continue to be permitted for class placement.

Korea’s private education industry, long a powerful economic and social force, had found a lucrative new frontier: the crib-to-kindergarten track. Amid growing unease over the pressures placed on young children, English-focused preschools have drawn scrutiny for imposing rigorous entrance exams and intensive preparatory tutoring — a reflection of a broader societal drive to secure an ever-earlier edge.

Violations of the ban could bring penalties including business suspension, registration cancellation and fines. The measure is expected to take effect as early as June.

Teachers' groups said they support the purpose of the bill but expressed disappointment that oral tests will not be banned.

“Allowing oral tests may be seen as a practical compromise, given the difficulty of monitoring every academy,” the Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations said. “But it raises doubts about whether a bill with such loopholes can truly ease early English education competition.”

The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union warned the law will be ineffective without strict oversight, saying strong enforcement will be crucial.

Experts say subjecting preschoolers to English testing can put heavy stress on young children.

“The testing practice is nonsense and can inflict severe stress that hinders children’s mental and physical development,” said Song Ki-chang, professor emeritus of education at Sookmyung Women's University, adding that foreign language learning should begin only once a child is firmly grounded in their native language.

Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin welcomed the bill’s passage, saying it will help ease excessive early competition and better support young children’s development.

At his first press briefing since taking office in October, Choi said stronger regulation is needed for private English-language preschools that encourage excessive private education for young children.

In August, the National Human Rights Commission also recommended policy changes, saying extreme early private education violates children’s right to rest and play.