'Early education' leads to serious mental health issues in children

Children under the age of 9 living in the three districts of Gangnam (Gangnam, Seocho, Songpa) in Seoul, which is known as the 'center of private education,' are facing serious mental health problems.

According to data received by Democratic Party member Jin Seon-mi from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) on the 25th, the number of health insurance claims for depression and anxiety disorders among children under 9 residing in these districts has more than tripled over the past five years.

In 2020, there were 1,037 claims, followed by 1,612 in 2021, 2,188 in 2022, and 2,797 in 2023. In 2024, this number continued to rise, reaching 3,309 claims. Over the past five years, the total number of claims has amounted to 10,943.

Looking specifically at 2024, Songpa District reported 1,442 claims, Gangnam District had 1,045, and Seocho District had 822. Last year, the number of claims in the three districts of Gangnam was 1,103, which is 3.8 times higher than the average of 291 claims across the 25 autonomous districts of Seoul.

During the same period, the number of health insurance claims for depression and anxiety disorders among children under the age of 9 nationwide increased from 15,407 in 2020 to 32,601 in 2024, showing about a twofold rise.

This data from HIRA is based on health insurance statements that were completed during that period.

An education official stated, “As controversies surrounding the '4-year-old examination' and '7-year-old examination' have arisen, concerns regarding early childhood private education are at an all-time high,” adding, “This data shows that early learning stress can negatively affect children's mental health.”

According to data submitted to Jin Seon-mi by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, there are 240 English kindergartens in Seoul as of 2024. Among these, 59 English kindergartens are located in the three Gangnam districts, accounting for 25% of the total. Gangnam District has the highest number with 25, followed by Songpa District with 21 and Seocho District with 13.

Jin Seon-mi remarked, “During a time when physical and mental development should occur, excessive academic burdens and competitive stress are causing suffering for children,” and emphasized that “the Ministry of Education needs to conduct a comprehensive survey on the state of early childhood private education and prepare comprehensive countermeasures.”

Image source: Material photos to aid understanding of the article / gettyimagesbank, News1