A significant portion of youth residing in residential care facilities are opting for immediate employment after high school graduation, a stark contrast to their peers living at home who overwhelmingly plan to pursue higher education. Research indicates that nearly 38% of these young individuals aim to enter the workforce directly, driven by a perception of their academic standing and a lower engagement with private tutoring compared to the general youth population.
Key Findings on Future Plans
A comprehensive study on the educational experiences of youth in residential care, conducted by the Korean Educational Development Institute (KEDI), surveyed 1,059 teenagers living in various facilities. These included children’s homes, group homes, youth shelters, and juvenile protection facilities. When asked about their post-graduation plans, 37.6% expressed a desire to find employment immediately. This figure is more than five times higher than the 7.4% of general teenagers living at home who indicated the same intention.
Conversely, 37.5% of the youth in residential care planned to advance to higher education, a figure closely mirroring their employment aspirations. This contrasts sharply with the 82.2% of general teenagers who reported plans to attend college. Furthermore, the study revealed that 19.5% of youth in residential care were undecided about their future paths, a rate nearly double that of general teenagers (9.0%).
Academic Performance and Tutoring Disparities
While the vast majority of youth in residential care (94.0%) were currently enrolled in high school, their academic performance lagged significantly behind their peers. On a subjective scale where ‘average or above’ is considered satisfactory, general teenagers rated their academic standing at 6.59 out of 10. In contrast, youth in residential care averaged a lower score of 4.51, falling into the ‘below average’ category.
This academic gap was evident across core subjects. Scores in Korean, English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science all fell below the ‘average or above’ threshold for residential care youth. Mathematics and English were particularly weak areas, with average scores of 3.65 and 3.71, respectively. A substantial 65.4% of these students identified themselves as ‘poor’ in mathematics, and 65.0% felt the same about English.
Private Tutoring Engagement
The lower academic performance is closely linked to reduced participation in private tutoring. Only 36.9% of youth in residential care reported receiving private tutoring in mathematics within the past year, compared to 46.9% of general teenagers. Similarly, the rate for English tutoring was 37.2% for residential care youth, versus 42.9% for their counterparts.
The financial aspect of private tutoring revealed an even wider disparity. On average, youth in residential care spent approximately 275,000 won (about $200 USD) per month on tutoring. This is less than a third of the 772,000 won (about $560 USD) spent monthly by general teenagers. A significant 86.3% of residential care youth relied on external funding, such as scholarships or government subsidies, to cover these costs. Notably, 5.6% of these students, and as high as 18.8% for those in juvenile protection facilities, managed to fund their own tutoring through part-time jobs.
Types of Tutoring and Support Needs
While attending private academies (hagwon) was the most common form of tutoring for residential care youth, reported by 58.8% of those receiving tutoring, a considerable number also engaged in less conventional learning methods. Some students, depending on the subject, reported attending study rooms, a practice less common among general high school students.
According to KEDI, while these students aspire to attend private academies, many lack the foundational academic skills to keep up. The institute suggests that personalized learning materials tailored to individual skill levels are crucial for improving their basic academic abilities. This approach acknowledges the need for differentiated support to help bridge the academic gap and empower these young individuals to achieve their future goals, whether in employment or education.
