The popularity of teaching, once considered the nation’s most desirable career, has waned in recent years, with more students leaving universities of education, government data showed Sunday.
According to the Korean Educational Development Institute, the dropout rate at universities of education nationwide reached 4.2 percent last year, meaning about 1 in 25 students preparing to become teachers quit. The rate matched the previous year’s figure, marking a record high for two consecutive years.
Data from the government-run Higher Education in Korea website showed that 103 students dropped out of Seoul National University of Education last year, while 105 left Gyeongin National University of Education.
The dropout rate among education university students was 1.5 percent in 2019, 1.7 percent in 2020 and nearly zero in 2018. However, it rose to 2.4 percent in 2021 and 3.2 percent in 2022, before hitting around 4 percent in both 2023 and 2024.
A separate survey conducted in May by the Korean Federation of Teachers’ Unions of 8,254 teachers from elementary to high schools found that 58 percent were considering transferring or resigning within a year. The top reason cited by 77.5 percent of respondents was the infringement of teachers’ authority and excessive complaints from parents.
shinjh@heraldcorp.com
