Korean school system and curriculum

The Korean public education structure is divided into three parts: six years of primary school, followed by three years of middle school and then three years of high school.

The primary curriculum consists of nine principal subjects: moral education, Korean language, social studies, mathematics, science, physical education, music, fine arts, and practical arts. English-language instruction now begins in the third grade, so that children can start learning English in a relaxed atmosphere through conversational exchange, rather than through rote learning of grammatical rules as is still the practice in many middle and high schools.

Upon completion of primary school, students advance to middle school, which comprises grades seven through nine. The curriculum consists of 12 basic or required subjects, electives, and extracurricular activities. While elementary school instructors teach all subjects, middle school teachers, like their colleagues in the United States, are content specialists. High schools are divided into academic and vocational schools. A small number attended specialized high schools concentrating in science, the arts, foreign languages, and other specialized fields. Most of these specialized schools are so-called elite schools. Only top students in middle schools can enter into these schools.