"Elementary School Teacher? Not So Sure" Rapid Decline in Preference for Education Universities... 11 Out of 13 Schools Practically Underenrolled

Average Competition Rate for Regular Admission at Gyodae Drops to 2:1
Early Admission Quota Undersubscription Hits Five-Year High

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The preference for departments that allow students to become elementary school teachers has significantly declined. The competition rates for most national teacher training universities and university elementary education departments nationwide were practically below the quota, and many places failed to fill their early admission quotas.

On the morning of the 2nd, a homeroom teacher at Poi Elementary School in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, is measuring the temperature of students who came to school on the first day of the semester. Photo by Joint Press Corps

According to Jongro Academy on the 18th, the average competition rate for regular admissions in 2023 at 13 institutions?including 10 national teacher training universities nationwide, Ewha Womans University, Jeju National University, and Korea National University of Education's elementary education departments?was 2.0 to 1. This is the lowest figure in the past five years.

Except for Korea National University of Education (5.0 to 1) and Ewha Womans University (3.9 to 1), all others had competition rates below 3 to 1, which is practically below the quota. Six institutions?Gyeongin National University of Education (1.4 to 1), Daegu National University of Education (1.7 to 1), Seoul National University of Education, Busan National University of Education, Jinju National University of Education (1.8 to 1), and Gongju National University of Education (1.9 to 1)?did not even reach 2 to 1.

Considering that the average regular admission competition rate for 13 teacher training universities and elementary education departments was 2.4 to 1 in 2022, this is a significant decrease. Last year, the highest competition rate exceeded 7 to 1, and there was only one teacher training university with a competition rate below 2 to 1.

The number of students who failed to fill the quota through early admissions and were rolled over to regular admissions this year was 502, marking the highest in the past five years. This is an 8.0% increase compared to last year (465 students).

As more students who passed the regular admissions gave up teacher training universities and chose other universities, the number of additional successful candidates in regular admissions reached 305 last year, a 14.7% increase from the previous year.

In the admissions industry, since examinees can submit applications to up to three institutions in regular admissions, a competition rate below 3 to 1 is considered practically below the quota.

However, teacher training universities have traditionally been highly preferred by students, so even if the competition rate falls below 3 to 1 occasionally, it rarely results in actual under-enrollment.

Nonetheless, if the current trend continues, this atmosphere is likely to change.

Lim Sung-ho, CEO of Jongro Academy, said, "In the past, additional recruitment in regular admissions for teacher training universities rarely occurred, but from now on, teacher training universities with competition rates below 3 to 1 could be at a risky level for student recruitment."

The number of freshmen leaving teacher training universities is also gradually increasing.

According to the university information disclosure site University Alimi, the most recent data shows that in 2021, 232 freshmen out of the 10 national teacher training universities nationwide dropped out or failed to register.

This means that 6% of freshmen nationwide left their schools, which is a 1.6 percentage point increase compared to the previous year. At Gongju National University of Education (12.6%) and Seoul National University of Education (9.4%), about one in ten freshmen left the school.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.