Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Announces '2024 Academic Year Private Elementary School Admission Guideline Improvement Plan'

Maintaining Non-Face-to-Face Method... Support for Selection up to 1st to 3rd Preferences Promoted

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced the '2024 Academic Year Private Elementary School Admission Guideline Improvement Plan' on the 26th.

For private elementary school admissions in the Seoul area, the process was conducted face-to-face until before COVID-19 (2020 academic year), but after COVID-19 (2021?2023 academic years), it was switched to a non-face-to-face method to prevent virus infection.

The non-face-to-face admission method was positively evaluated for its convenience and provision of alternative opportunities; however, since there was no limit on the number of private schools applicants could apply to, with up to 38 schools possible, the number of multiple acceptances surged, causing inflated figures and overheating competition.

Additionally, complaints from parents and related organizations arose due to issues such as having a private school near their residence but being displaced by winners from other areas and having to commute to distant private schools.

On the other hand, the face-to-face method has been criticized for instilling negative perceptions in children when they are not accepted and for limiting choice by offering only one chance without opportunities to enter other private schools if rejected.

Accordingly, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education held a meeting with the private elementary school presidents in April 2023 and conducted a survey targeting private elementary school parents from the 3rd to the 15th of last month.

Based on the survey results, the non-face-to-face method will be maintained, but applicants will be allowed to select up to three preferred schools for application in the 2024 academic year private elementary school admission guideline improvement plan.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education plans to collect opinions from Seoul citizens through a 20-day administrative notice starting at the end of this month regarding this improvement plan.

If the improvement plan is finalized, private elementary schools will jointly bear the cost to establish an integrated computerized lottery program available for all private elementary schools, aiming to apply it to the 2024 academic year private elementary school admission scheduled for November.

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