Private Education Costs in Gwangju Surge by 130,000 Won in Five Years
Participation Rate at 78.2%... Crackdowns Alone Are Not Enough
Parents Say, "The Real Burden Feels Even Greater"
A child is pulling a suitcase into the academy district in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang
"If I send my child to math academy as well, the total is 1 million won, but how can the average be only 410,000 won per person?"
Park Jihyun (44), who is raising a fifth-grade elementary school student and a second-grade middle school student in Bongseon-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju, says that the burden of private education expenses has become unbearable. Her younger child, who is in elementary school, attends both an English academy and a math academy, with monthly costs reaching 900,000 won.
Park said, "I thought the English academy cost 380,000 won per month, but with additional fees for tablet learning, textbooks, and transportation, it actually exceeds 550,000 won. Ironically, my middle schooler, who is preparing for school exams, only pays 400,000 won for tuition, but my fifth grader spends 500,000 won just for English. If I add math, it’s nearly 1 million won, so the statistic that the average private education cost per person is 410,000 won doesn’t resonate with me." She added, "Every time I see the private education statistics, I wonder why our family spends so much. In reality, parents who pay academy fees feel the cost is much higher than the government’s figures."
In fact, the average monthly private education expense per student in Gwangju has been steadily increasing. As participation in private education rises each year, the burden on parents grows, but critics say there is a lack of effective measures.
According to Statistics Korea data released on the 14th by the Citizens' Coalition for an Egalitarian Society, the average monthly private education expense per student in Gwangju last year was 413,000 won. This is lower than the national average (474,000 won), but it has increased by 132,000 won compared to 2020 (281,000 won). During the same period, the private education participation rate also rose from 66.2% to 78.2%.
The Gwangju Office of Education operates an illegal private education reporting center, cracking down on excessive tuition, arbitrary extension of lesson times, and advertising of advanced learning. However, the citizens' group pointed out, "Crackdowns alone cannot reduce dependence on private education," and insisted, "Practical measures such as reducing academy operating hours are needed."
The "School Without Private Education Burden" project promoted by the Gwangju Office of Education is also facing criticism over its effectiveness. Although 80 to 90 million won is provided annually to each of seven high schools, in some cases, the funds are concentrated on after-school class subsidies or used for programs that intensify entrance exam competition, resulting in limited impact on reducing private education expenses. The citizens' group also pointed out, "The adjustment of academy tuition standards by an average of 6.6%, reflecting the opinions of the Academy Association by the Eastern and Western Gwangju Education Support Offices, is another factor driving up private education costs," and called for policy improvements.
Meanwhile, last year, the average monthly private education expense per student in Jeonnam was recorded at 320,000 won, with a participation rate of 71.7%.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
