SEOUL, July 04 (AJU PRESS) - Korea will conduct a survey on individuals who face difficulties in daily life due to their lower-than-average intelligence, the Ministry of Education said Wednesday. These individuals are often excluded from various government support programs, as they are not classified as intellectually disable.
People with borderline intellectual functioning, defined as having an intelligence quotient (Q) between 71 and 84, require government support, but accurate statistical data is not available. The average IQ is 100, with most scores between 85 and 115.
The government estimates that about 13.6 percent of Korea's population of about 52 million falls into this category. Among school-aged children, their number is estimated to be 780,000.
The ministry plans to develop support programs for these individuals. The initial step is to survey how they struggle with their daily lives.
Due to their lower cognitive abilities, many of them face difficulties in attending school or fining jobs.
Their intellectual challenges can be misunderstood from others simply as a lack of motivation for learning or work.
To address these issues, the government will offer a screening tool for parents to identify if their children suffer from lower cognitive abilities or similar symptoms. This tool will be integrated into an annual survey to analyze the behavioral characteristics of students in first and fourth grades of element school, as well as first-year students in middle and high school.
The government also plans to provide customized support according to the life cycle of those living with this condition. Enhanced counseling programs will also be available for parents with such children at over 300 childcare centers.
For students, tailored learning programs will be offered. Special task forces at schools will assist teachers in identifying and supporting such students as early as possible, so the ministry can manage those at high-risk conditions.
For adults with borderline intelligence functioning, vocational training will be offered to help them strengthen their skills to secure quality jobs.
"Social understanding of borderline intelligence is limited. It is important for the public to recognize that this is a common and natural condition among people around us," a ministry official said.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
