Support for borderline intelligent people introduced

South Korea unveiled measures to tackle the welfare blind spots of people with borderline intellectual functioning on Wednesday, the government's first comprehensive plan to support the group, who are estimated to make up 13.59 percent of the total population.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho addressed the importance of identifying people with borderline intellectual abilities at the sixth Social Affairs Ministers' Meeting at Government Complex Seoul. He pointed out that the lack of information about and poor social recognition of the status made it difficult to identify them and the policies needed to support them.

People with borderline intellectual functioning have lower than average intelligence, but because they are not considered intellectually disabled, they have been excluded from various sources of support, the government explained.

Borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) usually refers to people with IQ scores between 71 to 84, above the the 70 threshold for a formal diagnosis of intellectual disability but still far enough below average to lead to developmental delays and reduced independence in daily life.

In response, the Ministry of Education will provide information on characteristics of borderline intelligence to strengthen parents' ability to identify children with such symptoms, as early detection is important.

Lack of appropriate early support for borderline intelligent people leads to a vicious cycle of disadvantages and may lead to isolation and seclusion, as well as disconnection from society.

Especially for school-aged children, continued difficulties in learning and friendships could lead to decreased self-esteem and result in difficulty in finding a job and continuing to work in adulthood.

The government will also conduct a survey for the first time in the second half of this year to better understand the lives of borderline intelligent people, targeting first to fourth-graders in elementary schools, and first-year students from middle and high schools.

In order to improve the understanding of teachers and other school personnel and strengthen their teaching capacities, the main training courses for in-service teachers, pre-service teachers, and school administrators will include information on the characteristics of students with borderline intelligence and key teaching methods.