The stark reality of the urban-rural education gap in South Korea has been highlighted once again through this year's national assessment metrics. Particularly concerning is the finding that one in five middle school students in rural areas is classified as 'below basic' in mathematics, indicating they are struggling to keep up with the curriculum.
The polarization between urban areas, which have concentrated private education resources, and rural regions is starkly reflected in the objective figures of math achievement. This situation calls for urgent, fundamental measures at the national level to address educational inequality linked to regional decline, beyond merely attributing it to individual student capabilities.
On June 23, the Ministry of Education and the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation released an in-depth analysis of the '2025 National Academic Achievement Assessment Results.' This assessment aims to track the achievement levels of South Korean students and serves as foundational data for national education policy. This year, approximately 32,000 students, or about 3.2% of all third-year middle school and second-year high school students, participated in the assessment from 539 schools.
The national assessment categorizes students into four levels based on their achievement of curriculum standards. Level 3 indicates a solid understanding of a significant portion of the curriculum, which education authorities consider a positive indicator of stable academic performance.
Conversely, Level 1 signifies a state of 'below basic skills,' where students require substantial effort to understand the curriculum. This group is in urgent need of intensive support from public education to keep pace with their studies.
The polarization between urban areas, which have concentrated private education resources, and rural regions is starkly reflected in the objective figures of math achievement. This situation calls for urgent, fundamental measures at the national level to address educational inequality linked to regional decline, beyond merely attributing it to individual student capabilities.
On June 23, the Ministry of Education and the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation released an in-depth analysis of the '2025 National Academic Achievement Assessment Results.' This assessment aims to track the achievement levels of South Korean students and serves as foundational data for national education policy. This year, approximately 32,000 students, or about 3.2% of all third-year middle school and second-year high school students, participated in the assessment from 539 schools.
The national assessment categorizes students into four levels based on their achievement of curriculum standards. Level 3 indicates a solid understanding of a significant portion of the curriculum, which education authorities consider a positive indicator of stable academic performance.
Conversely, Level 1 signifies a state of 'below basic skills,' where students require substantial effort to understand the curriculum. This group is in urgent need of intensive support from public education to keep pace with their studies.
Rural Struggles: Clear Achievement Gap Between Urban and Rural Areas
A notable aspect of this assessment is the clear division in achievement levels based on regional size. While significant differences were not observed at the high school level, the middle school stage, where foundational skills must be solidified, shows a severe polarization in academic performance across all subjects between urban and rural areas.
Looking at the percentage of third-year middle school students achieving Level 3 or above, urban students outperformed their rural counterparts significantly in Korean, math, and English. Specifically, 67.0% of urban students reached Level 3 or higher in Korean, compared to 57.0% in rural areas, showing a 10.0 percentage point gap. The gap in English was even larger, with 65.2% of urban students achieving Level 3 or above, while only 49.8% of rural students did, revealing a serious imbalance in English education, which is crucial for global competency. In math, 54.2% of urban students reached Level 3 or above, while only 37.6% of rural students did.
The Level 1 indicator, which directly reflects basic skills deficiency, reveals a troubling urban-rural gap in math. The percentage of urban students at Level 1 in middle school math was recorded at 13.1%, while the rate for rural students soared to 19.5%.
This means that one in five middle school students in rural areas is experiencing significant difficulties in comprehending the regular math curriculum. Such disparities during the formative middle school years pose a risk of perpetuating inequalities in higher education, including high school progression and college entrance exams.
In contrast, for second-year high school students, there were no statistically significant differences in the percentages of students achieving Level 3 or above or Level 1 across all subjects, including Korean, math, and English.
Looking at the percentage of third-year middle school students achieving Level 3 or above, urban students outperformed their rural counterparts significantly in Korean, math, and English. Specifically, 67.0% of urban students reached Level 3 or higher in Korean, compared to 57.0% in rural areas, showing a 10.0 percentage point gap. The gap in English was even larger, with 65.2% of urban students achieving Level 3 or above, while only 49.8% of rural students did, revealing a serious imbalance in English education, which is crucial for global competency. In math, 54.2% of urban students reached Level 3 or above, while only 37.6% of rural students did.
The Level 1 indicator, which directly reflects basic skills deficiency, reveals a troubling urban-rural gap in math. The percentage of urban students at Level 1 in middle school math was recorded at 13.1%, while the rate for rural students soared to 19.5%.
This means that one in five middle school students in rural areas is experiencing significant difficulties in comprehending the regular math curriculum. Such disparities during the formative middle school years pose a risk of perpetuating inequalities in higher education, including high school progression and college entrance exams.
In contrast, for second-year high school students, there were no statistically significant differences in the percentages of students achieving Level 3 or above or Level 1 across all subjects, including Korean, math, and English.
Proportion of Level 1 Students by Region. [Data=Ministry of Education]
Proportion of Students Achieving Level 3 or Above by Region. [Table=Ministry of Education]
Surge in Level 1 Math Students Signals Warning; Female Students Excel in Language, Male Students Struggle
Overall achievement trends across subjects show that while Korean and English have performed relatively well compared to last year, there is a strong warning signal in middle school math. The percentage of Level 1 students in middle school math for 2025 was recorded at 14.9%, a statistically significant increase of 2.2 percentage points from the previous year (12.7%).
This data confirms the growing phenomenon of 'math dropouts,' where students are increasingly losing interest in math learning, leading to cumulative learning deficits in middle school classrooms.
In contrast, second-year high school students showed no statistically significant changes in the Level 1 percentages for Korean (10.4%), math (11.6%), and English (6.8%), maintaining stable performance. The percentage of students achieving Level 3 or above also remained similar to the previous year across all subjects in both middle and high school.
Gender differences in achievement levels remain consistent with existing trends. Female students excel in language-based subjects like Korean and English, while male students show a higher rate of basic skills deficiency.
In both middle and high school, the percentage of female students achieving Level 3 or above in Korean and English significantly outpaced that of male students. For instance, 72.9% of female students in third-year middle school Korean achieved Level 3 or above, compared to 56.7% of male students. In second-year high school English, female students (77.5%) also outperformed male students (68.3%). However, in math, there was no statistically significant difference between genders at the Level 3 or above rate, indicating comparable achievement.
The concern lies in the high proportion of male students in the Level 1 category, indicating basic skills deficiency. In middle school, male students showed statistically significant higher rates of Level 1 in all evaluated subjects, while in high school, this was evident in Korean and English. Notably, the Level 1 rate for male students in high school Korean was 14.1%, more than double that of female students at 6.5%, highlighting an urgent need to address male students' overall literacy and basic skills.
This data confirms the growing phenomenon of 'math dropouts,' where students are increasingly losing interest in math learning, leading to cumulative learning deficits in middle school classrooms.
In contrast, second-year high school students showed no statistically significant changes in the Level 1 percentages for Korean (10.4%), math (11.6%), and English (6.8%), maintaining stable performance. The percentage of students achieving Level 3 or above also remained similar to the previous year across all subjects in both middle and high school.
Gender differences in achievement levels remain consistent with existing trends. Female students excel in language-based subjects like Korean and English, while male students show a higher rate of basic skills deficiency.
In both middle and high school, the percentage of female students achieving Level 3 or above in Korean and English significantly outpaced that of male students. For instance, 72.9% of female students in third-year middle school Korean achieved Level 3 or above, compared to 56.7% of male students. In second-year high school English, female students (77.5%) also outperformed male students (68.3%). However, in math, there was no statistically significant difference between genders at the Level 3 or above rate, indicating comparable achievement.
The concern lies in the high proportion of male students in the Level 1 category, indicating basic skills deficiency. In middle school, male students showed statistically significant higher rates of Level 1 in all evaluated subjects, while in high school, this was evident in Korean and English. Notably, the Level 1 rate for male students in high school Korean was 14.1%, more than double that of female students at 6.5%, highlighting an urgent need to address male students' overall literacy and basic skills.
Declining Learning Psychology: Academic Confidence and Self-Regulation Skills Drop
This assessment went beyond mere test scores, delving deeply into the 'affective domain' that reflects students' psychological and emotional states regarding their learning. The analysis revealed a noticeable decline in students' confidence in their subjects, as well as a general decrease in their ability to control and regulate their own learning processes.
The affective characteristics related to subjects are composed of four indicators: 'confidence,' 'value,' 'interest,' and 'motivation to learn.' In both middle and high school, students rated the 'value' of learning these subjects relatively higher than their confidence or interest, indicating a common trend of wanting to maintain a positive attitude toward learning.
However, a closer look at the trends reveals a sense of urgency. While high school students showed no statistically significant changes in their affective characteristics compared to the previous year, the psychological indicators for middle school math students, who saw a surge in Level 1 students, significantly declined.
In 2025, the percentage of middle school students reporting 'high' confidence in math was 35.0%, with 'high' value at 45.6% and 'high' interest at 40.7%, all showing statistically significant declines from the previous year.
Notably, there was a clear correlation between academic achievement levels and these affective characteristics. Students achieving Level 3 or above exhibited significantly higher levels of confidence, value, interest, and motivation compared to those at Level 1.
Ultimately, the long-standing educational principle that positive learning psychology and emotional attitudes are essential for achieving excellent academic results is strongly supported by this large-scale data.
Additionally, the capacity for self-regulated learning, which involves planning, monitoring, and applying results to future learning, has also significantly weakened.
Self-regulated learning is divided into three sub-factors: 'academic self-efficacy,' 'behavioral control,' and 'learning strategies.' Survey analysis revealed that the percentage of students reporting 'high' academic self-efficacy decreased statistically significantly by 2.5 percentage points in middle school (52.9%) and by 3.8 percentage points in high school (59.1%) compared to the previous year. Furthermore, the 'low' rate of behavioral control in high school increased to 14.0%, while the 'high' rate of learning strategies dropped to 46.7%, indicating a trend of losing self-directed learning motivation.
The percentage of middle school students reporting high levels of 'class preparation and participation' also significantly decreased to 39.4%, down 2.3 percentage points from the previous year, suggesting an urgent need for refined strategies to re-engage students actively in the classroom.
The affective characteristics related to subjects are composed of four indicators: 'confidence,' 'value,' 'interest,' and 'motivation to learn.' In both middle and high school, students rated the 'value' of learning these subjects relatively higher than their confidence or interest, indicating a common trend of wanting to maintain a positive attitude toward learning.
However, a closer look at the trends reveals a sense of urgency. While high school students showed no statistically significant changes in their affective characteristics compared to the previous year, the psychological indicators for middle school math students, who saw a surge in Level 1 students, significantly declined.
In 2025, the percentage of middle school students reporting 'high' confidence in math was 35.0%, with 'high' value at 45.6% and 'high' interest at 40.7%, all showing statistically significant declines from the previous year.
Notably, there was a clear correlation between academic achievement levels and these affective characteristics. Students achieving Level 3 or above exhibited significantly higher levels of confidence, value, interest, and motivation compared to those at Level 1.
Ultimately, the long-standing educational principle that positive learning psychology and emotional attitudes are essential for achieving excellent academic results is strongly supported by this large-scale data.
Additionally, the capacity for self-regulated learning, which involves planning, monitoring, and applying results to future learning, has also significantly weakened.
Self-regulated learning is divided into three sub-factors: 'academic self-efficacy,' 'behavioral control,' and 'learning strategies.' Survey analysis revealed that the percentage of students reporting 'high' academic self-efficacy decreased statistically significantly by 2.5 percentage points in middle school (52.9%) and by 3.8 percentage points in high school (59.1%) compared to the previous year. Furthermore, the 'low' rate of behavioral control in high school increased to 14.0%, while the 'high' rate of learning strategies dropped to 46.7%, indicating a trend of losing self-directed learning motivation.
The percentage of middle school students reporting high levels of 'class preparation and participation' also significantly decreased to 39.4%, down 2.3 percentage points from the previous year, suggesting an urgent need for refined strategies to re-engage students actively in the classroom.
Resilient Social and Emotional Skills: Education Ministry to Intensify 1:1 Math Mentoring Support
Despite the decline in academic performance and psychological indicators, the measures of 'social and emotional skills' and 'career maturity' remained robust and stable compared to the previous year.
Social and emotional skills are subdivided into community awareness, collaboration, conflict resolution, stress management, and resilience. The analysis showed that students scored higher in social skills related to interacting with others than in emotional self-regulation.
In particular, the indicators for 'collaboration' (middle school 64.2%, high school 73.7%) and 'conflict resolution' (middle school 62.9%, high school 73.3%) were significantly higher than the community awareness indicator, which reflects attachment to school.
This suggests that modern students possess strong capabilities to communicate effectively and resolve practical social conflicts, even in individualized environments.
In the career maturity section, the 'high' rate of 'career exploration' skills, where students actively seek information suited to them, was notably high (middle school 69.0%, high school 85.0%), confirming that students are seriously considering and exploring their futures and career paths from an early age.
In response to the pressing issues of 'revitalizing math education' and 'addressing the urban-rural gap,' the education authorities are focusing all administrative efforts. An official from the Ministry of Education emphasized that the results of the national assessment provide crucial foundational data to identify the urgent learning and emotional support needs of South Korean students.
To address the rising percentage of students below basic skills in middle school math and the growing polarization between urban and rural areas, the ministry plans to shift away from fragmented knowledge delivery. Instead, it will actively support experiential and inquiry-based learning, as well as student-centered math education activities.
To break the cycle of accumulated math learning deficits, the ministry will significantly enhance small-group supplementary instruction and intensive 1:1 mentoring support during after-school and vacation periods, aiming to narrow the educational gaps based on region and achievement levels.
Social and emotional skills are subdivided into community awareness, collaboration, conflict resolution, stress management, and resilience. The analysis showed that students scored higher in social skills related to interacting with others than in emotional self-regulation.
In particular, the indicators for 'collaboration' (middle school 64.2%, high school 73.7%) and 'conflict resolution' (middle school 62.9%, high school 73.3%) were significantly higher than the community awareness indicator, which reflects attachment to school.
This suggests that modern students possess strong capabilities to communicate effectively and resolve practical social conflicts, even in individualized environments.
In the career maturity section, the 'high' rate of 'career exploration' skills, where students actively seek information suited to them, was notably high (middle school 69.0%, high school 85.0%), confirming that students are seriously considering and exploring their futures and career paths from an early age.
In response to the pressing issues of 'revitalizing math education' and 'addressing the urban-rural gap,' the education authorities are focusing all administrative efforts. An official from the Ministry of Education emphasized that the results of the national assessment provide crucial foundational data to identify the urgent learning and emotional support needs of South Korean students.
To address the rising percentage of students below basic skills in middle school math and the growing polarization between urban and rural areas, the ministry plans to shift away from fragmented knowledge delivery. Instead, it will actively support experiential and inquiry-based learning, as well as student-centered math education activities.
To break the cycle of accumulated math learning deficits, the ministry will significantly enhance small-group supplementary instruction and intensive 1:1 mentoring support during after-school and vacation periods, aiming to narrow the educational gaps based on region and achievement levels.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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