Jeong Seung-ik: "Abnormal Surge in Lowest Achievers" Amid Deepening Education Gap Concerns

EBS instructor Jeong Seung-ik stated that the proportion of students in the lowest academic achievement tier in middle school is abnormally high. Through his social media, Jeong released photos showing the achievement distribution for 3rd-year middle school students in Korean, history, math, science, and English, claiming that over 30% of students nationwide struggle with proper comprehension. His assertion has recently gained attention after spreading through online communities.

According to the Ministry of Education's '2024 National Academic Achievement Assessment Results,' the percentage of 3rd-year middle school students scoring 'below basic' (Level 1) in Korean was 10.1%, a 1%p increase from the previous year. In English for the same grade level, the 'below basic' rate rose to 7.2%, up 1.2%p year-on-year. While the proportion of students achieving 'proficient or higher' increased, a trend of declining basic academic skills also emerged.

A diagnostic test by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education revealed that 13.8% of 1st-year high school students scored 'below basic' (Level 1), an increase of 6.8%p from the previous year. When including Level 2, which corresponds to 'basic,' approximately 30% of students showed potential difficulty understanding lessons. For 2nd-year middle school students, the combined rate of 'below basic' and 'basic' levels reached about 25%.

Key factors cited for the decline in literacy during middle school include rising academic difficulty and increased media usage, such as smartphones. According to the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education's 'Korea Child Growth and Development Longitudinal Study 2025,' the average daily media use for 6th graders born in 2008 was 2.8 hours, while 1st-year middle schoolers averaged 6.48 hours.

It has been pointed out that the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education's diagnostic test was conducted on a voluntary basis, limiting its generalizability as a representative indicator of overall student academic levels. Through various indicators, the problems of declining basic academic skills among low-to-mid-tier students and a widening education gap are being raised.