Since 2002, annually more than 1,000 North Koreans have settled in the South. By the end of 2006, there were almost 10,000 North Koreans who have permanently resettled in the South, and approximately 20% are children and young adults. They encounter a...
Since 2002, annually more than 1,000 North Koreans have settled in the South. By the end of 2006, there were almost 10,000 North Koreans who have permanently resettled in the South, and approximately 20% are children and young adults. They encounter a great many problems in attempting to adjust to the South Korean school system. Statistics show that the overall enrolment rate is 43%, and this figure drops to 10.4% in the case of high school enrollments. There are several reasons for North Korean students failing in their attempts to adjust to the South Korean school system.
Firstly, in the middle of the 1990’s, almost of all the schools in North Korea were closed due to the famine. Therefore, many North Korean students were not able to receive a complete and normal education. Secondly, there is an average of a 2-4 years gap between their escape from the North and their final arrival in the South. While they are in China and other countries like Mongolia, Thailand, Cambodia, they usually don’t have an opportunity to enrol in a local school. Thirdly, the South Korean school system, in terms of the national curriculum, evaluation and selection system, and indeed, even the school culture is completely different from that of the North. Finally, no school support systems for the new North Korean migrant student are currently in place.
Therefore, it is necessary that the Korean formal education system develops and implements an appropriate support system for North Korean students so that they are able to be integrated and not left behind in the education system in Korea.