4.2% of Schools Have More Than 30 Students Per Class... Osan, Gyeonggi Has 32.1 Students

496 Schools Nationwide, with 332 Middle Schools the Most
Osan-si 32.1, Hwaseong-si 31.7, Gimpo 31.0 in Order
Schools with Over 1,000 Students Account for 7.7% of Total

A classroom scene at an elementary school in Seoul. (Photo unrelated to the article content)

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] This year, about 500 schools have an average of 30 or more students per class, accounting for 4.2% of all schools.

According to an analysis by Jongno Academy on the 31st using the Education Statistics Service, among 11,777 elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide in the 2021 academic year, 496 schools had 30 or more students per class. By school level, there were 48 elementary schools, 332 middle schools, and 116 high schools.

By region, Gyeonggi-do had the most with 239 schools. Next were ▲Seoul with 73 schools ▲Incheon with 33 schools, making the metropolitan area total 345 schools, which is 70% of the total.

Based on middle schools, Osan-si in Gyeonggi-do had the highest average number of students per class at 32.1. Following were ▲Hwaseong, Gyeonggi (31.7) ▲Gimpo, Gyeonggi (31.0) ▲Yongin, Gyeonggi (30.2) ▲Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi (30.0).

Regions with 28 or more students per class include ▲Paju, Gyeonggi (29.7) ▲Gangnam-gu, Seoul (29.7) ▲Namyangju, Gyeonggi (29.5) ▲Suwon-si (29.5) ▲Gwangju, Gyeonggi (29.0) ▲Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (29.0) ▲Cheonan, Chungnam (28.9) ▲Seongnam, Gyeonggi (28.8) ▲Seo-gu, Incheon (28.8) ▲Guri, Gyeonggi (28.7) ▲Goyang-si (28.6) ▲Anyang, Gyeonggi (28.5) ▲Gwacheon, Gyeonggi (28.4) ▲Yangsan, Gyeongnam (28.2) ▲Hanam, Gyeonggi (28.1) ▲Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi (28.0), totaling 21 cities and districts.

There were 910 oversized schools with more than 1,000 students, accounting for 7.7% of all elementary, middle, and high schools. By school level, there were 600 elementary schools (9.7% of total), 156 middle schools (4.8%), and 154 high schools (6.5%).

There are four schools with more than 2,000 students. Areum Elementary School in Cheonan, Chungnam had the most with 2,280 students, followed by Hwanso Elementary School in Cheonan (2,220), Daedo Elementary School in Seoul (2,219), and Haewon Elementary School in Incheon (2,008).

Schools with only one student include Yudal Elementary School Dalli Branch in Mokpo-si, Jeonnam, Heuksan Elementary School Heuksanbuk Branch in Sinan-gun, Jeonnam, and Chogye Elementary School Deokgok Branch in Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongnam; all are branch schools.

A Jongno Academy official explained, "The concentration of overcrowded elementary, middle, and high schools in the metropolitan area is due to recent developments such as the second phase of new town development, large-scale reconstruction, and large complex formation focused in these areas."

He added, "Thirty to forty households with elementary and middle school students are massively moving into metropolitan new town areas where entry barriers are low, compared to high-entry-barrier areas like Seoul, the Gangnam 3 districts, and education-specialized districts, due to convenience facilities and residential conditions in large complexes. The concentration toward new town areas in Gyeonggi and Incheon due to the third phase of new town development is expected to continue," he analyzed.

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