Elementary school dropouts skyrocket, but nation unprepared

Korea is seeing a surge in elementary school dropouts, mainly driven by unfulfilling lessons and kids having difficulty adjusting to school. Considering the shrinking elementary school-age population, the growing dropout ratio is alarming.

Elementary school students enter a school compound in downtown Seoul last month. [NEWS1]

Korea is seeing a surge in elementary school dropouts, mainly driven by unfulfilling lessons and kids having difficulty adjusting to school.

In 2022, 19,415 elementary school students left schools, an 18 percentage-point increase compared to 2017, when the country saw only 16,422 dropouts.

Considering the shrinking elementary school-age population, which decreased from 2.71 million in 2017 to 2.60 million in 2022, the dropout ratio in elementary schools is growing more pronounced and alarming.

The dropout rates for middle-school and high-school students did not grow as dramatically as for their younger counterparts.

A 13-year-old girl from Incheon with asthma has been homeschooled for two years.

When the girl entered fourth grade at 11 during the Covid-19 pandemic, her mother realized that sending her daughter to school would prove "meaningless."

The girl's asthma prevented her from wearing a mask for long periods, forcing her to leave school every morning after barely finishing the first class.

Students had to wear masks in the classroom at all times during the pandemic.

Missing most of her classes, she could not make friends.

Her child became used to studying alone, and her mother thought her child would face difficulties joining with friends if she returned to school. Once friend groups are formed, newcomers find joining difficult.

“If it weren’t for the Covid-19 pandemic, my daughter would have attended school normally,” she said.

Educational experts attributed the phenomenon to school closures and remote learning experiences during the pandemic.

The Seoul Education Research and Information Institute saw "increased school maladjustment" and "unsatisfactory education quality" as the main drivers of the phenomenon.

In a report published in 2023, the institution affiliated with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said a larger number of school-age children may have decided to “proactively continue their studies and prepare for future careers outside the school.”

In the institute’s survey of 245 underage school dropouts — including around 90 elementary-aged children, over half expressed discontent with their academic experiences in schools.

They found the “school coursework was unnecessary” and thought earning a general equivalency diploma (GED) would be more efficient. Of those who were displeased with the schools’ offerings, some complained that remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic was "unhelpful.”

Some 40, or 16.3 percent of respondents, said that “psychological and physical difficulties” caused them to leave school. “School bullying and conflicts with teachers and peers” ranked third, taking 11.4 percent.

Yet, leaving school doesn't necessarily translate into young dropouts finding quality alternative educational environments.

A 13-year-old girl studies by herself at her home in Yongin, Gyeonggi, after dropping out of elementary school. [JOONGANG PHOTO]

Although the Gender Ministry operates educational centers nationwide, its offerings are not inclusive enough to embrace dropouts from elementary schools.

The 13-year-old girl in Incheon went to the youth support centers managed by the Gender Ministry to participate in a mentorship program. However, she couldn't receive academic assistance because the centers’ programs were only eligible for those over 15. The center said it had no volunteers for elementary school dropouts.

“The students coming to the center and seeking help are getting younger day by day,” said Hwang Sang-hee, an official from the center located in Michuhol District in Incheon. She added that she feels “sorry” for not being able to extend the service to elementary dropouts.

Another 16-year-old teenager in Gyeonggi stopped studying in school after experiencing bullying at an elementary school after she transferred in the fifth grade during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is heartbreaking to see my daughter staying home all day and battling depression,” the mother said.

Her mother wanted her daughter to go to a youth support center to socialize, but few opportunities existed as most of the programs consisted of job training for people over the age of 17 or were open on a first-come and first-served basis.

The 16-year-old dropout once hoped to participate remotely in the Education Ministry’s program for elementary and middle school dropouts.

However, its in-person delivery format barred her from joining. Instead, she has been taking online paid classes to prepare for her GED exam.

Professionals who help the out-of-school population at the state-run centers say “labor shortages” and “insufficient budgets” marginalize young dropouts.

A volunteer at the Gender Ministry's support center for the out-of-school population gives a lecture on Korean history in March. [JOONGANG PHOTO]

The Gender Ministry runs 222 centers across the country with only 706 employees. On average, each center could have 3.18 workers.

The centers' annual budget rose from 18.4 billion won ($13.3 million) in 2020 to 22.6 billion won in 2024. However, this is not enough to meet the diverse needs and demands of the growing out-of-school population.

The centers have been experiencing a decrease in users. Last year, 38,329 people received educational assistance at the centers, while the 2019 figure was 48,250.

The situation in Seoul is slightly better than in other provinces. The city’s educational office offers more inclusive learning opportunities by allowing elementary dropouts to learn Korean language, social studies and science at the city’s five centers. The centers also provide learning tools and textbooks for students preparing for the elementary GED exam.

Professionals say society must confront the reality that dropouts are growing younger.

“These days, young children have strong personalities and resist being forced to bear the inconveniences of group activities or the sacrifices and patience for communities,” said Prof. Park Myung-sook from Sangji University.

She said that “polarized society aggravates a sense of alienation and depression among young peers” and “students cannot find true meaning in their studies mainly because of the college admission-oriented curriculum.”

Park stressed that “sufficient human resources and money” should be provided to state-run support centers to prevent the “out-of-school population from being exposed to dangerous environments.”

Prof. Chung Ick-joong of Ewha Womans University called for the intervention of the Education Ministry, pointing to the compulsory nature of elementary education.

He said the Education Ministry "should spend some portion of its budget on young dropouts” rather than leaving those young learners entirely to the Gender Ministry.

BY SHIN HYE-YEON, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]