Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mid-afternoon Monday to Friday. Once-common Saturday classes have been largely phased
out.
Elementary school consists of six grades, with students graduating when they're 11 or
12, and it is a relatively rigorous affair. Classes cover a range of subjects, from language
and physical education to arts, with a particular emphasis on Korean, math, and English.
Studies move into high gear in middle school (
junghakgyo
), which consists of three
grades. Students typically enter at age 12 and finish at age 15 or 16. At most schools, strict
regulations on uniforms and haircuts are enforced, and the curriculum follows a standard
format nationwide, with the core subjects of math, English, science, and Korean supple-
mented by the study of Chinese characters, history, and computers.
a middle school in Seoul
Although students tend to progress from grade to grade regardless of academic achieve-
ment, their examination scores in the final year of middle school are key to gaining entrance
to top high schools and consequently universities. Therefore, they are the focus of much
pressure from relatives and peers. Most students will attend
hagwon
or private academies to
supplement their studies after school hours in the hopes of boosting their test scores, mean-
ing some are studying a full 12 hours or so per day—indeed, it's not uncommon in Seoul or
