(image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 28 (Korea Bizwire) — One in four schoolchildren were found to be lacking in free time or rest time, and only 1 out of 100 were able to enjoy a quality of life that was in tune with recommended standards, according to a survey conducted by ChildFund Korea last year in November and December.
A total of 6,428 students between the ages of 10 and 18 were asked to self-report on how each had spent his or her day, the results of which were announced earlier today.
Ahead of the survey, ChildFund Korea announced its standards on the recommended amount of time for sleep, study, exercise and media consumption.
For upper grade primary students, the recommended ratio for sleep-study was 9 to 12 hours: 30 to 120 minutes.
For middle school students, the ratio was 8 to 10 hours: 60 to 150 minutes, while 8 to 10 hours: 90 to 180 minutes was the recommended ratio for high schoolers.
The recommended time duration ratio for exercise and media consumption was above 1 hour: below 2 hours for all categories.
According to the results of the survey, only 1 out of 100 students had a lifestyle that satisfied all recommended hours in the four sectors of sleep, study, exercise and media consumption.
In addition, 2 to 3 out of 10 children were below par in all four sectors.
Of the children surveyed, 46.4 percent were spending too much studying, while 40.4 percent were found to be sleep deprived.
In addition, 74.2 percent of surveyed students were lacking exercise, while 62.2 percent spent more time than recommended on media consumption.
The survey also found that the average study time per year stood at 2,097 hours for middle school students and 2,757 hours for high school students.
This is longer than the average hours of work (2,069 hours) per year for Korean adults, according to OECD data published in 2016.
Children whose time spent in the four sectors was closer to the recommended time were found to be happier, with higher levels of self-esteem and better accomplished at school.
Students who had more than one minute of free time were happier than 75.8 percent of those who didn’t.
In addition, the lack of sleep, exercise and rest that resulted from increased study time was a factor that hindered happiness in children.
Meanwhile, 5,094 parents who also participated in the survey said that they felt more depressed when their children studied less, and in contrast, felt a higher sense of esteem when their children’s duration of study increased.
H. S. Seo (hsseo@koreabizwire.com)
