NHRCK Calls for End to Human Rights Violations Against Children Caused by the “Age 7 Exam” and Excessive Early Private Education
-The Ministry of Education must strengthen oversight of the so-called ‘Age 7 Exam’-
□ The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (Chairperson Ahn Chang-ho, hereinafter “NHRCK”) expressed its opinion on August 14, 2025, recommending that the Minister of Education (hereinafter “the respondent”) take stronger measures to eliminate extreme forms of early private education such as the so-called “Age 7 Exam” and to build a society where all children can fully enjoy their right to health and development. Specifically, the NHRCK recommended:
▲ mandatory surveys and public disclosure on the current state of early childhood private education;
▲ regulations on early childhood education institutions conducting excessive level tests or exam-based practices;
▲ laws or guidelines to restrict extreme forms of early foreign language reading and writing instruction;
▲ measures to prevent excessive foreign language training for young children; and
▲ strengthening of play- and exploration-based early childhood education.
□ A total of 826 members of the “Citizen Accusation Group Against the Age 7 Exam as Child Abuse” filed complaint to the NHRCK, arguing that the “Age 7 Exam”—an extreme form of early preparatory private education—has detrimental impacts on children’s basic rights to healthy growth and development, and urging the government to take strong and decisive action to eradicate such practices.
□ The respondent explained that, under Articles 6 and 16 of the Act on the Establishment and Operation of Private Teaching Institutes and Extracurricular Lessons, the registration and supervision of private academies fall under the authority of provincial and metropolitan education superintendents. Nonetheless, the Ministry has taken measures such as:
▲ expanding oversight and inspection of early childhood academies to crack down on excessive marketing, inflated tuition fees, and extreme practices such as the “Age 4 Exam” and “Age 7 Exam”;
▲ conducting a special inspection (comprehensive inspection) of English language academies targeting young children; and
▲ directing local education offices at vice superintendent-level meetings to carry out strict inspections and impose strong sanctions on violations.
□ The NHRCK’s Committee on Child Rights (Subcommittee Chair: Standing Commissioner Lee Sook-jin) decided to dismiss the complaint, since the private academies implementing the “Age 7 Exam” do not fall under the Commission’s jurisdiction. However, given the serious human rights implications of extreme early private education practices that have emerged in districts known for highly competitive education environment such as Seoul’s “Gangnam 3 districts” (Gangnam, Seocho, and Songpa), the Commission concluded that it was necessary to present its opinion to the relevant authorities.
□ The NHRCK found that extreme preparatory education practices such as the “Age 7 Exam” deprive children of their rights to play, rest, and self-expression. Such practices clearly contravene Article 10 (the right to pursue happiness) and Article 31 (the right to education) of the Constitution, the Child Welfare Act, and Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which guarantees children the right to rest, leisure, play, recreational activities, cultural life, and the arts. The Commission therefore determined that urgent government action is required to end such practices.
□ Accordingly, the NHRCK expressed its opinion to the Ministry of Education that it is necessary to actively pursue measures including: mandatory surveys and disclosure of the status of early private education; the establishment of laws or guidelines to restrict extreme preparatory education; and the strengthening of play- and exploration-based early childhood education, so that all children can grow up in a society that does not rely on extreme early private education and where they can live healthy and happy lives.
