"Parents who send 4-year-olds to medical school prep classes should be punished... Child abuse": Top CSAT instructor's scathing criticism

"Anyone can improve their grades with the right methods"

Top math instructor Jeong Seungje criticized the private education system for encouraging children to aim for medical school from an excessively young age.

Math instructor Jeong Seungje (right) and English instructor Kim Jiyoung, who appeared on the YouTube channel “Chimchakman.” Screenshot from YouTube.

On November 4, a video titled “Korean vs. English vs. Math: Which Is the Most Important?” was uploaded to the YouTube channel “Chimchakman.” The video featured Korean instructor Yoo Daejong, English instructor Kim Jiyoung, and math instructor Jeong Seungje, who appear on Channel A’s “Teachers 3: War of the Repeaters.”

In the video, Jeong discussed the recently overheated private education culture, saying, “In math, children enter medical school prep classes when they’re just 3 or 4 years old,” and sharply criticized the situation, saying, “This country is completely insane.”

When Yoo Daejong responded in dismay, “At 4, you haven’t even formed your first memory,” Jeong passionately retorted, “Medical school prep classes start at age 4. I don’t understand why the government doesn’t regulate that.” When Jeong reiterated his criticism, saying, “I think this should be treated as child abuse,” Yoo agreed, saying, “It is child abuse.”

Jeong stressed again, “I think they should be punished,” adding, “I really want to show through the program (‘Teachers 3’) that this isn’t something people should think is right.” Regarding the ultimate goal of “Teachers 3,” he said, “The only way to prove, without any promotional intent whatsoever, that anyone can improve their grades if they learn the right way to study is to work with students retaking the college entrance exam,” adding, “We provide intensive support to students who truly did poorly on the exam. The point is that anyone can improve their grades by following the right methods.”

Meanwhile, an amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Establishment and Operation of Private Teaching Institutes and Extracurricular Lessons (the Enforcement Decree of the Hagwon Act), which completely bans level tests for preschoolers seeking admission to private academies, took effect on October 1. Assessments conducted through observation or interviews are exceptionally permitted, but if they take the form of an oral exam with predetermined correct answers, academies may face administrative penalties, including fines, for violating the Hagwon Act. The ban covers all assessments based on written, oral, practical, or interview tests, as well as test results related to the evaluation of specific abilities. Violations of the level-test ban may result in fines of approximately 1 million won for a first offense, 2 million won for a second offense, and 3 million won for a third offense.

The Ministry of Education emphasized that it plans to intensively inspect compliance with the level-test ban and identify attempts to circumvent the rules or operate through loopholes from December this year through January next year, when recruitment and class placement for preschoolers are concentrated.

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