When Trust and Fatigue Weigh on the Classroom, Where Is the Next Generation Headed?
Korea’s education system is drifting in a state of prolonged conflict and loss of direction. Repeated reforms to the college admissions system, ongoing ambiguity between public and private education, and increasingly complex relationships between teachers, parents, and students have all led to a sense of confusion and weariness. Recent issues such as infringement of teachers’ authority, collective action by educators, excessive parental complaints, and the shrinking school-age population are no longer merely policy matters—they reflect a deep crisis in societal trust and the structure of the future itself.
Education has always been about preparing the next generation. It inherently embodies the values and order a society seeks to instill. But today, Korean society seems to be losing sight of this central question.
Conflicts in the educational field manifest in many ways. Some parents, through excessive involvement and complaints, undermine the authority of teachers. Teachers report burnout and emotional exhaustion from responsibilities that go far beyond teaching. Students, caught in academic stress and uncertain futures, grow increasingly apathetic. Some struggle with the breakdown of order and communication within classrooms, leading to emotional instability.
These are not isolated incidents but the result of accumulated structural fatigue. The system emphasizes competition, enforces a culture of single “correct” answers, fosters individualized education environments, and suffers from a growing disconnect between policy and on-the-ground reality. In all this, the central figure of education—people—are being pushed aside.
The more fundamental issue is that education, once a vessel for a society’s communal direction, is now reduced to a mere tool. College entrance, employment, competition, and social mobility have become its primary focus. As a result, education now emphasizes “function” over “formation”—its original purpose.
In this environment, students are taught not their inherent dignity or worth as human beings, but how to define themselves through efficiency and results. When only outcomes matter and the process is ignored, the next generation cannot be prepared emotionally or morally.
Globally, similar crises are unfolding. In the U.S., school districts face growing inequality, gun threats, and high teacher turnover. In Japan, student anxiety and academic stress remain serious concerns. In Europe, public education struggles to maintain coherence amid rising immigration and multicultural dynamics. In developing countries, access to education is often dictated by economic status.
Education mirrors a nation’s social inequality and cultural tensions. Therefore, the crisis in education is not simply a problem for students, but a warning that the nation’s future framework is shaking.
The Bible does not view education as merely the transmission of knowledge. Deuteronomy 6 commands us to “impress these words upon your children,” and Proverbs teaches, “Train up a child in the way he should go.” Education is a divine commission—a process of passing on God-given order to the next generation.
The current crisis in Korean education runs deeper than textbooks or exams. It is fundamentally about what kind of people we want to raise and what values we are choosing to hand down.
A classroom is not merely a place to acquire knowledge. It is a microcosm of society where people learn to relate, fail, take responsibility, and understand each other. In a society that does not respect teachers, authority erodes. In education systems where children are neglected, there is no room for inspiration.
More important than curriculum reform or policy shifts is a return to the essence of education. That means forming people—not just for utility, but for character. Education reveals how a society views its future.
Education Is Not a Matter of Systems, but of the Heart
To address today’s educational crisis, direction must be restored before any policy is implemented. Growth over competition, process over result, understanding over comparison—when these principles return to the center, education can be renewed. A teacher is not merely a transmitter of information, but a model of life. A student is not a test score, but a being created in God’s image. The Christian community must remember this truth and bear the responsibility of praying for the next generation.
Education reflects society—but more importantly, it shapes society. And now is the time for us to ask, once again, where we are going.
Maeil Scripture Journal | Today’s World, A View Through the Word
