Education Ministry to increase physical education hours in public schools

The Ministry of Education announced Monday it will increase physical education hours in public schools due to concerns over decreasing physical activity among students in Korea.

Students skip rope at a gym of an elementary school in Haeundae District, Busan, on Jan. 30. [YONHAP]

The Ministry of Education announced Monday it will increase physical education hours in public schools due to concerns over decreasing physical activity among students in Korea.

For lower grades in elementary schools, the ministry will push physical education as a separate subject.

The government unveiled its health promotion plan during a ministerial conference on social relations held at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Monday.

The mid and long-term measures, to be implemented from 2024 to 2028, come as the Covid-19 pandemic significantly harmed students' physical activities and mental health.

According to the Education Ministry, 16.6 percent of students who took the physical test last year fell into the lowest two tiers of the Physical Activity Promotion System (PAPS). This was up from 2019's 12.2 percent.

PAPS is a physical test conducted for students grades 5 to 12, evaluating aspects such as flexibility, cardio, and body fat percentage.

Schools annually assess student health using this five-tier system.

The government plans to increase physical education hours for grades 1 and 2 from the current 80 hours to 144 hours in 2025.

In lower grades in elementary schools, physical education classes have been included in a subject called “pleasant life,” which also includes music and art, for the past 40 years.

According to an official at the ministry, separating the subject will ensure teachers allocate enough time for students to participate in PE classes. A specific timeline for the separation plan is still under discussion.

In middle schools, sports club activity hours will be increased by 30 percent. The government will require high school students to take 10 credits of PE classes from 2025 when a “high school credit system” will be implemented for the first time. The Education Ministry will discuss the plan’s implementation with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

This new system will allow students to choose their subjects, ditching the standardized curriculum that Korean students have traditionally followed. Students can graduate from high school as long as they fulfill enough credits, just like in universities.

To support students suffering psychologically, the government plans to double the budget for programs that bring therapists to schools for consultations and financial support schemes for those in need.

According to the ministry, 4.8 percent of the 1.73 million students tested through the ministry's mental health assessments required special care, while 1.3 percent were at risk of suicide.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO, CHANG YOON-SEO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]