Problems with complex college admissions policies and overloaded after-school private education on middle- and high-school students’ mental health in South Korea

Abstract

Background College admissions policies are complex and fast-changing in South Korea (hereinafter, Korea). The Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Ministry of Education have jointly conducted adolescent health behavior surveys every year since 2005. Mental health is included in the survey as an important category. We examined the effects of the current complicated college admissions process on the mental health and well-being of middle- and high-school students in Korea, to serve as a guide for future educational policy reforms. Methods We performed secondary statistical analyses on varied data collected between 2017-2021. The data are obtained from Korean Statistical Information Service, Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Korean Ministry of Education, National Youth Policy Institute, and other related Korean government branches. We used the proportional allocation method, which took account of the size of the 17 cities and provinces in South Korea, as well as the population numbers in those regions. Our statistics are reliable owing to the robustness of the official source data and the large sample size. Results Notably, middle- and high-school students generally spend several hours in private classes (because public schools are insufficient to prepare for the college admissions process) and on their daily homework, leaving limited leisure time. Parents spend a significant portion of their household income on private education. Moreover, middle-and high-school students suffer greatly from severe mental health issues such as with suicide, depression, anxiety, and similar indicators. Middle- and high-school students are experiencing mental health problems that are not merely stress. Conclusions A secondary analysis of the collected data suggests that the complex college admission process and over-loaded mental health issues among Korean middle- and high-school students are quite serious. The results can further serve as a guide for policymakers to evaluate and plan youth health policies and health promotion projects for students in South Korea.