Monthly private education spending inches up in 2015

SEJONG, Feb. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's spending on monthly private education per child inched up in 2015 from a year earlier on the back of increased expenditures for music, art and physical education, a government survey showed Thursday. Local parents spent an average of 244,000 won (US$197) a month per child to pay for private lessons last year, up 1 percent from a year earlier, according to the annual survey by the Ministry of Education and Statistics Korea. The survey was conducted on 43,000 parents with children enrolled in 1,244 elementary, middle and high schools across the country. The average amount spent on private education for elementary school students dropped 0.4 percent on-year to 231,000 won while spending for middle and high school students increased 1.9 percent and 2.9 percent, respectively, to 275,000 won and 236,000 won. Monthly spending on key subjects such as Korean, English and mathematics went down 0.3 percent, or 1,000 won, to 190,000 won, the survey showed. Monthly spending on sports and arts curriculum in the private sector, however, increased 5.4 percent to 53,000 won, which helps explain the 1-percent increase in total spending. Heavy education costs paid by parents in an education-crazed country have been pointed out as a factor hindering consumer spending and dragging government efforts to revitalize the economy. South Korean parents are known for their enthusiasm about education, with private education spending staying significantly high, though its growth has been slowing in recent years. kjkyp@yna.co.kr (END)