Seoul Education Research and Information Institute has claimed the introduction of academy Sunday closed system which aims to increase the students' physical and mental health and reduce the private education costs. This means that the students will be given one day to rest as academies will be closed on Sundays. However, there is a controversy about this system.

▲ Some people agree at this system.

Some students and parents support this system for two reasons. First, the system can give students their right to rest. According to the preliminary poll which Seoul Education Research and Information Institute implemented, 74 percent of middle school students, 52 percent of high school students and 68 percent of their parents agree on the introduction of this system. These results show that a lot of students have a lot of stress because of private education, and for that, they badly need rest. Second, this system can impose sanctions on overheated private education. Overheated private education increases the cost of education, and this will lead to the seriousness of the country's problem on the low birth rates.

▲ The rate of student`s academies attendance on Sunday and agreement of academy Sunday closed system

On the other hand, some students and parents opposed this system for two reasons. First, this system takes away the students' right to study. If this system is imposed, more expensive private education institutes will be made. This situation creates a gap between rich and poor when it comes to education. Then, educational inequality will increase. Also, the students who do self-study after their classes in school can go to academies only on the weekend, so if academies are closed on Sundays, it will be unfavorable to them. Second, this system violates business rights to build a private institute. The private education system aims to supplement public education. Also, it is impossible to crack down every academy in Seoul, and the academies which obey the law will have disadvantages.

▲ Some people disagree at this system.

The result of this system as to whether it will be imposed or not will be announced at the end of November. As the controversy about this system overheated, Seoul Education Research and Information Institute said that they will discuss the system's conditional introduction or may think about a third alternative.

Nov. 30th, 2019

by Lee Ji-eun