[2022 National Audit] Maintaining Autonomous Private High Schools... Enrollment Below Quota for 3 Consecutive Years

This Year’s Admission Rate Compared to Recruitment Quota for Autonomous Private High Schools at 88.6%
From 54 Autonomous Private High Schools at One Time, Only 35 Schools Remain
Parental Burden per Student at 6.18 Million KRW as of First Semester This Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] As the government is exploring ways to maintain autonomous private high schools (Jasago), it has been revealed that the ratio of admitted students to the admission quota nationwide has fallen short of 90% for three consecutive years.

On the 20th, an analysis of data submitted by the Ministry of Education to Seo Dong-yong, a member of the National Assembly's Education Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, showed that the ratio of admitted students to the admission quota for 35 Jasago nationwide in the 2022 academic year was only 88.6%. It was 88.2% in 2020 and 87.3% in 2021.

Among 18 Jasago in the Seoul area, only 84.3% of the admission quota was filled. Busan had 84.4%, and Daegu only 81.0%.

As of 2022, 35 schools maintain their Jasago status. The number once reached 54 but has been steadily decreasing. Except for Janghun High School (Seoul) and Daegun High School (Daegu), which applied to convert to general high schools next year, the number will decrease to 33 schools next year.

Tuition fees and parental financial burdens at Jasago have also been increasing annually. In the first semester of the 2022 academic year, the estimated parental burden per student at 35 Jasago was 6.18 million KRW. The parental burden includes the sum of entrance fees, tuition, school operation support fees, meal fees, after-school activity fees, textbook fees, and other amounts paid by parents, divided by the number of students.

Even when calculating only tuition income excluding other payments?entrance fees, tuition, and school operation support fees?the amount paid per student in the first semester of 2022 was 4.62 million KRW. Including the second semester's burden, the total tuition burden is expected to be at least similar to last year's level.

In the 2020 academic year, the amount paid per student was 7.44 million KRW, and tuition per student was 5.88 million KRW; in 2021, these increased to 8.29 million KRW and 6.10 million KRW, respectively.

The decline in popularity of Jasago is attributed to tuition burden, decreasing school-age population, and the implementation of the high school credit system. Starting from the 2025 academic year, when the high school credit system is fully implemented, the strengths of Jasago?such as autonomy in curriculum and flexibility in the number of school days?are likely to diminish.

Assemblyman Seo Dong-yong stated, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration is prioritizing the maintenance of Jasago without measures to improve the quality of education across all high schools, including general high schools," and added, "A cautious approach is needed to establish educational policies that prepare for the future, rather than short-sighted policies."

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