South Korea to ban level tests for young children starting October 1

Starting October 1, South Korea will implement an amendment to the Academy Act that bans level tests for young children. This measure aims to curb the phenomenon known as the ‘4-year-old exam’ or ‘7-year-old exam,’ where private English academies use entrance exams, interviews, or external test scores like TOEIC to select students or divide classes.

Violators face fines ranging from 1 million to 3 million KRW per instance, and severe cases may result in up to one year of suspension from teaching. While formal written, oral, and practical exams are prohibited, academies may still conduct observations or interviews after registration, provided they have parental consent and use descriptive feedback rather than scores or rankings.

Despite the upcoming ban, civic groups like World Without Worry About Private Education report that some academies are already promoting special holiday classes for children aged 4 to 7. Critics argue that while the ban on formal testing is a step forward, further regulations are needed to address the use of ‘trial lessons’ or portfolios as loopholes, and to ensure that educational content and hours align with early childhood developmental stages.