Decline in Competition Rate for Education University in 2024 Early Admission
Impact of Low Birthrate and Decrease in School-Age Population and Teacher Authority Violation
The competition rate for early admission to national education universities and elementary education departments for the 2024 academic year has declined. It appears that recent social controversies, such as infringements on teachers' rights, have also had an impact.
According to the admissions industry on the 3rd, in the early admission that closed last month for the 2024 academic year, 10 national education universities and 3 elementary education departments nationwide received 12,400 applications for 2,425 openings.
This represents a competition rate of 5.11 to 1 (excluding overseas Koreans and North Korean defectors), a slight decrease from last year's 5.19 to 1 (2,467 openings with 12,811 applicants).
Recently, the competition rate for early admission to education universities has generally been declining. For example, Jeju National University's elementary education department recorded a competition rate of 9.30 to 1 last year but dropped significantly to 5.82 to 1 this year. Ewha Womans University's elementary education department also fell from 8.78 to 1 to 6.52 to 1 this year. Jinju National University of Education (4.93 to 1) and Chuncheon National University of Education (5.77 to 1) also saw declines in competition rates.
This trend is the exact opposite of the overall early admission competition rates at the 10 major universities in Seoul this year. The competition rate at these 10 universities rose from 18.9 to 1 to 20.4 to 1, due to expectations of an increase in repeat test-takers following the removal of 'killer questions' from the College Scholastic Ability Test.
The education and admissions sectors believe that the recent decline in teachers' authority has influenced this trend. There is an analysis that the number of students reconsidering their career paths has increased after cases where work-related stress, including complaints from parents, led to extreme outcomes.
The National Education University Student Union (Gyodaeryeon), composed of student councils from education universities and elementary education departments nationwide, conducted a survey of 680 education university students in August last year. According to the results, 51.1% of respondents said, "After the death of an elementary school teacher in Seocho-gu, Seoul, I began to consider changing my career path."
The more fundamental issue is the decline in the school-age population due to low birth rates. As teacher demand decreases, competition for teacher certification exams has increased. According to the educational statistics analysis report by the Korea Educational Development Institute, the pass rate for the nationwide elementary teacher certification exam in 2022 was 48.6%, the lowest since 43.5% in 2013.
The current annual selection of about 3,000 elementary teachers is expected to decrease to around 1,800 by 2028, making competition for certification much fiercer.
Experts point out that if the popularity of education universities declines, it could lead to a qualitative decline in elementary and secondary education in the mid to long term, and urge the government to prepare countermeasures.
Professor Park Nam-gi of Gwangju National University of Education said, "This phenomenon means that the government has not properly managed the quotas of education universities, which are special-purpose universities," adding, "It is necessary to strengthen teachers' professionalism not only in educational and life guidance expertise but also in social authority as professionals."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
