Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education "Overcrowded Classes with More Than 28 Students to Be Reduced by 82% by 2025"

Severe Overcrowding in School-Age Population Dense Areas
28 or Fewer Students in 4,504 Classes at 238 Schools
Private Schools Also Plan to Adjust Class Quotas to Under 28 Students

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has decided to resolve 82% of overcrowded classes with 28 or more students per class by 2025.

On the 5th, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced the 'Plan to Resolve Overcrowded Classes' and declared the opening of an era with 20 students per class.

Currently, the average number of students per class across all elementary, middle, and high schools in Seoul is 23.8, but there is a significant variation by school. The school-age population is concentrated in certain areas, and there is a large imbalance by region and school. Among 1,316 schools, 292 schools (22.2%) and 5,457 classes (15.7%) are overcrowded.

The education office plans to sequentially reduce the number of students per class to fewer than 28 in 239 schools and 4,504 classes, which account for 82% of the overcrowded classes, by 2025.

Through class conversion, classroom expansion, and installation of modular classrooms, overcrowding will be resolved in 55 schools (1,284 classes), and by assigning students considering regional conditions such as student density, overcrowding will be resolved in 86 schools (1,670 classes). Due to low birth rates and decreasing student numbers, overcrowding is expected to be naturally resolved in 98 schools (1,550 classes).

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education expects overcrowded classes to be resolved in a total of 239 schools: 65 schools in 2022, 29 schools in 2023, 53 schools in 2024, and 92 schools in 2025.

For the 53 overcrowded schools (953 classes) not included in this plan, the office will promote overcrowding resolution through rebuilding, expanding class sizes, and consultations with schools.

For private elementary schools with a high number of students per class, the office plans to gradually improve the situation by adjusting the student quota to fewer than 28 students per class in consultation with the schools.

Additionally, support for small schools will be strengthened alongside the resolution of overcrowded classes. Through the ‘Saving Small Schools’ support policy, priority will be given to increasing teachers and improving the educational environment. For first graders in elementary schools, additional measures are being considered to reduce classroom density for better care.

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, said, "As the first step to realize the '20 students per class era,' we will establish a 'Special Task Force' to systematically implement the comprehensive measures prepared this time, regularly check and supplement the degree of overcrowding resolution, and mobilize the full capacity of the education office to resolve overcrowded classes."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.