South Korea considers banning early English teaching for children

This has sparked debate in society because it is related to the quality of education and exams in the "land of kimchi".

On July 10, Kang Kyung-sook, a member of the Korean Restoration Party, proposed a complete ban on private English lessons for children under 36 months old, and a limit of 40 minutes per day for children 3 years and older. Violators could have their operations suspended or their business licenses revoked.

However, the reality today shows that the opposite trend is happening strongly. In areas such as Gangnam District, Seoul, or Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, many children even start learning English from the age of 2-3 to "compete" for elite preschool programs.

Some of Seoul's most popular English kindergartens require students as young as 3 to take an entrance exam, which includes English spelling and describing pictures in full English sentences.

According to a survey conducted by the Korean Reconstruction Party in collaboration with the World Without Worry about Private Education, in just five cities in Gyeonggi Province, including Goyang, Anyang, Seongnam, Yongin and Hwaseong, the number of English classes for young children increased from 275 to 376 within one year. The average study time at these facilities is up to 5 hours and 8 minutes per day, a number higher than that of elementary school students in grades 1 and 2, who study an average of about 3 hours and 20 minutes per day.

Education experts and preschool teachers have also expressed deep concerns. In a separate survey of more than 1,700 preschool teachers nationwide, 87.7% said that intensive English instruction for young children is “unnecessary.” 63.5% of them warned about adults forcing children to learn without regard to age-appropriate cognitive and emotional development.

Regarding long-term solutions, most teachers support expanding public education (65.6%), reforming the entrance examination system (62.7%) and strengthening parents’ guidance on early development (57.6%). Many believe that private education should begin after children enter first grade, instead of as early as 3-4 years old as it is now.

However, many parents oppose the new regulation. Bu Dae-hye, mother of a 3-year-old boy, said: “For children who are gifted in languages, an all-English environment can provide an outstanding foundation. Parents know their children best, and imposing restrictions on early education is an excessive interference with personal freedom.”

There are two streams of controversy. On the one hand, there is concern about children's mental health and natural development. On the other hand, there is the increasingly fierce pressure of educational competition in a society that values achievements.

The bill will continue to be debated by the National Assembly in the coming weeks. Whatever the outcome, the big question is: How to balance the need for early language development with the right to healthy, natural childhood development? This is not just a legal issue, but a cultural, social, and ethical challenge that Korea must face in an era of fierce educational competition.

The draft bill proposed by Assemblywoman Kang Kyung-sook emphasized: “Childhood is a period when children develop through play, movement and emotional interaction, not through sitting for English tests. Teaching English too early not only has limited benefits but can also negatively affect children’s overall development.”

According to The Korea Herald

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/han-quoc-can-nhac-cam-day-tieng-anh-som-cho-tre-post741887.html