S. Koreans spend $17 bln on extra education
SOUTH KOREA: Parents in education-obsessed South Korea spent 19
trillion won ($17.4 billion) on extra classes for their children last
year, seeking any edge in the hugely competitive race for a coveted
college place.
The 2012 figure, published by the education ministry on Wednesday,
includes cost for after-hour cram schools, private tutoring or online
courses, and was equivalent to about 1.5 percent of the country's gross
domestic product.
Last year actually marked a drop of 5.4 percent in total spending
from 2011, attributed to slowing economy and weakened consumer spending.
About 70 percent of students in elementary, middle and high schools
are privately tutored in subjects like mathematics or English, with
annual spending for each student standing at an average $2,600, the
ministry said. High marks in the national exam are essential for entry
to top universities, which is in turn crucial to securing prestigious
jobs or improving marriage prospects.
For most of their school lives, South Korean students study late into
the night -- often at costly, private cram schools -- to stay ahead in
the rat race for admission to top universities.
AFP
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