"Is it that Hangul and math are okay but not English?"
"I guess there will eventually be a law banning studying abroad."
On the 5th, a post regarding early childhood English education has appeared in a 'mom cafe'. This was in response to the Seoul City Office of Education's announcement on the 3rd that it conducted a special inspection of so-called 'English kindergartens' that administer the '4-year-old examination'. A 'law banning English kindergartens' has also been proposed in the National Assembly.
As the early childhood English private education market expands, parents are showing strong resistance against the movements of the education authorities and political circles that oppose this trend.
◇Public education prohibits advance learning, while private English kindergartens thrive
Students who only attend school begin learning English in the 3rd grade at age 9. While after-school English classes are allowed for 1st and 2nd graders, these classes do not involve learning letters or memorization and instead focus on play and sound. Similarly, 'English learning' is not permitted even in daycare centers or kindergartens that receive government support.
In contrast, private education is not subject to any regulations regarding advance learning in English. English language institutes for young children, referred to as English kindergartens, conduct classes in English instead of Hangul or Korean.
According to the Ministry of Education, the average monthly tuition for an English kindergarten is approximately 1,545,000 won, which is double the amount of college tuition. Nevertheless, as of March this year, there are 248 English language institutes for young children operating in Seoul. The percentage of children receiving private education in English is 68.9% for those aged 4 and 81.2% for those aged 5.
◇Seoul City Office of Education advises English kindergartens to conduct admission lotteries for the '4-year-old examination'
The controversy arose when Representative Kang Kyung-sook of the Rebuilding Korea Party proposed an amendment to the Private Institute Act, referred to as the 'law banning English kindergartens' on the 23rd of last month. This bill contains provisions that completely prohibit foreign language instruction for children under 36 months. For children aged 3 to under 7, foreign language classes are only allowed for a maximum of 40 minutes per day. English kindergartens conducting classes in English for more than 4 hours a day would essentially be forced to close.
The Seoul City Office of Education has cracked down on 'cram schools' preparing children for admission to well-known English kindergartens. Special inspections related to advance learning were conducted from May to July, and 11 institutes were caught conducting level tests (the so-called '4-year-old examination') before admission. The educational authorities advised these schools to change their methods for selecting students to lotteries or consultations. However, compliance is not mandatory. An official from the education office noted, "There is no explicit provision banning level tests."
◇Parents' resistance: 'I want to teach my child myself'
The education authorities believe that while English kindergartens involve significant expense, the educational effect is minimal, and excessive learning may infringe on the rights of young children.
In contrast, parents hold the position that the authorities should not restrict their right to choose how their children learn. On the National Assembly's website, from the 24th of last month to the 2nd of this month, a total of 10,460 opinions were submitted regarding the 'law banning English kindergartens'. About 95% of these expressed opposition to the bill.
The author, a person surnamed Kim, stated, "I want to teach my child myself, so I do not see the reasoning behind opposing that as valid," and added that "in the global age, learning English is essential." On the 31st of last month, a public petition was also submitted to the National Assembly urging for the withdrawal of the bill. The author argued that the bill contains unconstitutional content that infringes on the educational rights of parents guaranteed by Article 31 of the Constitution and the learning rights of children.
Professor Park Joo-hyung from the Education Department at Kyongin National University of Education remarked, "Regardless of support or opposition to the policy, comprehensive discussions are needed on whether it is feasible if the law is passed, as well as the possibility of a constitutional review afterward."