Educational Statistics

Status of School Digital Infrastructure Based on Statistical Evidence

 

Author: Kim Rang (Associate Research Fellow, KEDI)

 

 With recent advances in artificial intelligence and digital technologies, expectations have grown regarding the potential transformation of teaching and learning methods. In particular, as the role of digital technologies in supporting personalized learning and participatory instruction has been increasingly emphasized, initiatives to establish digital infrastructure in schools have been actively pursued as a priority. This raises an important question: to what extent has the digital educational environment in schools actually changed? Within this broader trend, the status of digital infrastructure constitutes one of the fundamental indicators that clearly reflects the transition of the educational environment. Against this backdrop, this paper examines the current status and future challenges of school digital infrastructure over the four years following the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on data from the Education Statistics Yearbooks (2021-2024) and related survey results.

 

■ Changes in the Number of Digital Devices per Student by School Level over the Past Four Years (2021-2024)

 

 

 First, an examination of the number of digital devices per student installed in schools over the past four years (Figure 1)¹⁾ shows a consistent upward trend across all school levels beginning in 2021. At the elementary school level, the figure increased from 0.25 devices per student in 2021 to 0.62 in 2024. Middle schools recorded the largest increase among all levels, rising from 0.22 to 0.84 over the same period. High schools also saw an increase, from 0.30 to 0.70 devices per student. Notably, beginning in 2023, concentrated budgetary investment in infrastructure development led to the provision of more than 0.5 devices per student across all school levels. In 2024, middle schools exceeded 0.8 devices per student for the first time, reaching 0.84.

 

■ Status of Digital Device Provisions by School Level in 2024 and Perceived Grade-Level Coverage Rates

 

A closer look at the composition of digital devices by school level in 2024 reveals distinct patterns. In elementary schools, tablets accounted for 74.6% of all devices, representing a dominant share. In contrast, the proportions of desktops (12.3%) and laptops (10.9%) were relatively low, indicating that the elementary digital learning environment has been constructed primarily around tablets. Middle schools also showed a high share of tablets (72.0%), though the proportion of laptops (17.2%) was higher than in elementary schools. In high schools, tablets remained the most prevalent device type at 56.5%, while desktops accounted for 22.4%, the highest share among the three school levels. These differences in device composition by school level can be understood as reflecting variations in teaching and learning approaches across educational stages.

Meanwhile, according to the 2024 Survey on the Status and Perceptions of Digital Transformation in Elementary and Secondary Schools conducted by the Korea Education and Research Information Service (KERIS)²⁾, the perceived level of digital device coverage by grade, as reported by information coordinator teachers, showed that 70.9% indicated coverage of 100% or more, the highest proportion among response categories . This was followed by 14.1% reporting coverage of 80% to less than 100%, 6.3% to less than 80%, 3.5% for 40% to less than 60%, and 5.2% for less than 40%. When examined by school type, both digital research/leading schools (70.6%) and general schools (71.1%) most frequently reported coverage levels of 100% or more.

 

 

■ Expansion of Digital Infrastructure and Future Challenges

 

 Taken together, these infrastructure-related statistics indicate that over the pas 4 years, Korean elementary, middle and high schools have established a substantial level of the physical infrastructure necessary for implementing digital-based instruction. In particular, the increase in the number of devices per student and the construction of tablet-centered environments can be assessed as having laid important foundations for supporting personalized learning and expanding digital-based participatory instruction. In this respect, the expansion of school infrastructure as a basis for digital transformation represents a meaningful achievement. However, a more critical issue going forward is whether students can effectively utilize the established infrastructure to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. Relevant evidence can be found in the results of the International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) 2023 (Ministry of Education, November 12, 2024).³⁾ According to the findings, Korean students’ use of information and communication technology (ICT) during classes in creative and arts subjects and information-related subjects was higher than the international average, whereas ICT use in other subjects was relatively lower than the international average. As this is based on an international comparative study, careful interpretation is required. Nevertheless, at a point when school infrastructure has reached a certain threshold, these results underscore the need to more systematically develop and disseminate instructional models that promote effective ICT use across subject areas, as well as to strengthen teachers’ digital pedagogical competencies.

 

 

 In addition, the establishment of a sustainable system for the management and operation of digital infrastructure has emerged as a key policy challenge. Without ongoing measures to address device aging and malfunctions, support replacement cycles, and secure technical support personnel, it will be difficult to maintain the current environment. Furthermore, as disparities in infrastructure access may arise by region or school type, policy mechanisms are needed to monitor inter-school gaps and provide timely corrective support. The stabilization of wireless networks also remains a consistently raised infrastructure requirement.

 

 In summary, the expansion of digital infrastructure over the past four years has clearly improved the basic conditions of school environments and laid the groundwork for AI- and digital-based education. However, infrastructure alone does not guarantee educational outcomes. Accordingly, the next phase of digital transformation policy must move beyond the quantitative expansion of devices toward the refinement of teaching and learning models that genuinely foster students’ competencies, the development of professional support systems for teachers, and the establishment of sustainable operation and maintenance frameworks that reduce the burden of equipment aging and management. Ultimately, the next stage of policy must prepare for the post-infrastructure era, focusing above all on enhancing the quality of digital-based education through the effective use of digital technologies.

 

 

                                                                                         

1) Calculated by dividing the number of student-use computers by the total number of students by school level, based on the Education Statistics Yearbooks (2021-2024). Student-use computers include desktops, laptops, tablets, and others (e.g., cloud PCs). Source: Korean Educational Development Institute (KEDI), Education Statistics Service (https://kess.kedi.re.kr/)

2)In November 2024, a survey was conducted targeting information education coordinators at a total of 1,182 schools, including 182 digital-focused leading schools and 1,000 general schools (Shin et al., 2025).

3)This international study, involving a total of 34 countries including Korea and one benchmarking participant region (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany), assesses competencies related to computer and information literacy and computational thinking. The survey targets eighth-grade students. In Korea, the assessment was administered between October and November 2023, taking into account the academic schedules of sampled schools. Participants included 152 middle schools, 3,723 students, and 2,054 teachers (Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, November 2024).