Early childhood education 'threatens' children's rights.

GD&TĐ - Mr. Ahn Chang-ho, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of South Korea, warned that the trend of early childhood education could harm children's rights.

According to Ahn Chang-ho, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of South Korea, the fact that children as young as four years old attend English-language kindergarten classes, and even have to take entrance exams, reflects a fiercely competitive culture.

"Exams at ages 4 and 7 are a serious violation of children's rights. Their childhoods are dominated by pressure to achieve high grades instead of natural development. Many children are at risk of declining physical and mental health," warned Chang-ho.

According to UNICEF data, South Korean children rank 4th in academic achievement among OECD and EU countries, but only 28th in physical health and 34th in mental health. This suggests that educational success is masking deeper underlying problems.

In addition, Mr. Chang-ho also called for a balance between children's rights and teachers' rights. The expert believes that both elements must be respected together for the education system to function effectively and safely.

Previously, in 2025, South Korea discussed banning intensive English courses for children under 3 years old and shutting down kindergartens that teach English.

In major cities like Seoul and Busan, teaching children English from an early age has become the norm among the South Korean middle class. Many parents are willing to pay up to five times the tuition fee for their children to attend kindergartens that teach entirely in English.

According to the Korea Times

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/giao-duc-som-de-doa-quyen-tre-em-post776633.html