Young people leave school for many reasons, but more than half the time, the school itself is the cause.
School violence, bullying, college entrance pressure, unreasonable demands from staff, and contradictory behavior by administrators all take their toll. Some students formally cite illness as their reason for withdrawing, when the real cause lies in what they endured at school.
Very few leave simply to improve their grades. Students know that dropping out puts them at a disadvantage in the rolling admissions process, which accounts for more than 70 percent of university placements — making it far better, on balance, to stay enrolled.
Out-of-school youth constantly ask themselves whether they are the problem, or whether their parents are to blame. They live with intense loneliness. They are, in many ways, casualties of South Korea's public education system.
Pyeongchang in Gangwon Province is drawing warm praise for embracing these young people. The county has set up a dedicated organization to look after out-of-school youth and nurture the talent that will shape Pyeongchang's future.
The Pyeongchang-gun Out-of-School Youth Support Center ran a one-night, two-day culture and healing camp in Seoul on Tuesday and Wednesday for local out-of-school youth enrolled in the county's Kkumdeurim support program. For many participants, it was a rare chance to shake off their loneliness and laugh freely.
The camp was organized to give Kkumdeurim youth — who have limited access to arts and culture due to where they live — new cultural experiences, a chance to relieve everyday stress, and time to connect with peers their own age.
On the first day, participants visited Daehangno in Seoul, touring the Arko Art Center and taking in a busking performance at Marronnier Park. They then watched "Shear Madness," an audience-participation theater production, experiencing the joy of live performance. That evening, they rode the Namsan cable car to take in Seoul's night skyline, building closeness and camaraderie among the group.
On the second day, the Pyeongchang group joined a joint cultural program with out-of-school youth support centers from across Gangwon Province. Participants spent the day at Lotte World alongside Kkumdeurim youth from other parts of the province, broadening their social connections and creating lasting memories.
"I was so happy to see a theater production I never could have easily caught in Pyeongchang, and to enjoy an amusement park with friends my age," one participant said. "It was really meaningful to make special memories while getting to know new friends."
"I hope this camp gave out-of-school youth a chance to quench their cultural thirst and recharge their minds and bodies," center director Park Geum-seong said. "We will continue to provide career, cultural and hands-on programs so that young people can build confidence through a wide range of experiences and grow into healthy members of society."
The Pyeongchang-gun Out-of-School Youth Support Center offers tailored counseling and education support based on each young person's individual circumstances and needs, along with career exploration, independence and employment assistance, meal support, and health checkups. The center also works closely with community organizations to help out-of-school youth develop healthily and become self-sufficient members of society.
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