There is no denying Korean teenagers live a most stressful life.
Recent figures from Statistics Korea showed that seven out of 10 youths have been under a lot of stress, with 8.8 percent thinking of committing suicide over the past year. Suicide has already become the primary cause of death of young people in the country, which has seen about 13 in every 100,000 teenagers killing themselves every year.
According to a recent study by a local research institute, Korean students ranked lowest in an index measuring happiness among the member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Already weighed down by heavy academic stress and worries over an uncertain future, teenage students would find school life unbearable when bullied by their peers.
Physical education may be an effective way to help ease students’ stress and lessen school violence.
A proper amount of physical activity can let students tied to their desk all day long burn off energy and relieve stress. It can also be hoped that by actively engaging in physical activity, students may learn the spirit of fair play, patience and better regard for the weak, thus building a sound character and cultivating good relationships with peers.
Looking at the reality, however, excessive focus on academic achievements has hamstrung physical education in schools, blocking a proper outlet for students to relieve stress.
It is the right policy that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has guided schools to expand physical education from three hours a week to four and make students join at least one school sports club. It is regrettable that some teachers have argued against the expansion of physical education.
Enhanced physical education may not be a panacea for all problems facing teenagers, as shown by the fact that the U.S. and other advanced nations still struggle with school violence despite their active school sports programs.
But we cannot say the country has made full-scale efforts to promote physical education. Now is the time to give it due attention.
