By Honorary Reporter Karen Sebastiana Rodriguez Lagunes from Mexico

Photos = iclickart 

The Korean education system stands out due to the high performance of its students at the international level according to scores of the Programme for International Student Assessment of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in subjects like reading and math.

Education is highly valued in the country as a way to obtain a prestigious place. Thus students are under heavy pressure from society, teachers and parents, especially when it comes to applying to enter university.

Public and private
Education in Korea is both private and public. The government provides subsidies to students whether they are in public or private schools.

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Pre-school or kindergarten

This education level in Korea is not compulsory, so students receive no subsidies. Yet an estimated 54% of children in Korea ages 2-5 attend kindergarten. The aim is for them to gain experience from their surrounding environments. The hours of preschool or kindergarten vary depending on school.

Elementary school

This is the official entry point of the Korean education system and students range from ages 6-13.

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Middle school

Middle or junior high school consists of three grades and students ages 14-16.

High school

This level comprises three grades for students ages 17-19.

University

The most competitive stage in Korean education revolves around admission to university. The country has dozens of universities but most students want to enter the best. To do that, they must take the suneung siheom, or the College Scholastic Ability Test. A student's future is heavily dependent on this test as it decides which university he or she can enter.

Influence of Korean education system
The Korean education system has served as a model for other countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and even those in Latin America like Mexico, Argentina and Chile. This is because of the nations' good relations with Korea through academic exchanges conducted by governments and public and private organizations.

The number of foreign students in Korea rose to 154,000 last year, according to L. Yoon of Statista, a provider of market and consumer data, thanks to the nation's higher global image, scholarships for international students and the popularity of Hallyu. 

kalhong617@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.