Private education cost reaches record high

By Kim Jae-heun

Parents' spending on their child's private education has been increasing consistently to a record high in 2018, the government said, Tuesday.

The rate of children receiving private education has also been increasing as well, according to the joint survey by the Ministry of Education and Statistics Korea on some 40,000 parents and teachers at 1,486 elementary, middle and high schools nationwide.

Total private education spending here reached 19.5 trillion won ($17 billion), up by 4.4 percent, or 800 billion won, compared to 2017. The total annual expense had declined to between 2009 and 2015, but has since begun to rise.

English and math were the two subjects with the highest spending at 5.7 trillion won and 5.5 trillion won, respectively.

The monthly cost for private education was 291,000 won per child on average, a 7 percent increase from a year before. It was the largest spending recorded in the joint study, which has been conducted since 2007.

Parents spent 263,000 won per month for elementary students, and 312,000 won for middle school students and 321,000 won for high school students.

It is the first time the average monthly spending on private education for both middle and high school students has surpassed 300,000 won.

The survey showed 72.8 percent of elementary, middle and high school students were receiving private education last year, 1.7 percentage points up from the previous year. The ratio was higher among elementary schoolchildren, 82.5 percent, while those of middle and high school students were 69.6 percent and 58.5 percent, each.

The students spent 6.2 hours per week on average to attend an academy or have private tutoring at home.

By region, Seoul parents spent the most with 411,000 won per month, compared to South Chungcheong Province parents who spent the least on private education with 187,000 won.

The education authorities explain such a big increase in private education spending comes from the expanding uncertainty of the college entrance system here. It said it would seek a reform in the system by the 2022 school year.

“We will reduce the portion of irregular admissions, which evaluate essays and other talents, as they have been criticized for causing more reliance on private education,” an education ministry official said.

“We also believe quality public education is the key to reducing private education, so we'll seek to improve school education in which students can learn about their abilities and find a career path.”