In countries like South Korea and China, it prevails that pressure indeed makes diamonds. East Asian education systems and their rigorous classrooms are often lauded as global benchmarks of academic excellence. Yet with the rise of adolescent mental health crises throughout Asia, we must also face sobering questions about the actual effectiveness of these systems in preparing students for long-term success. 

In many East Asian societies, students are brought up with the belief that their worth is tied to their performance. Beyond serving as a measure of academic ability, exams are opportunities for social mobility, family honor, and future security. But various studies reveal the dangers of associating academics so closely with future outcomes. For instance, many South Korean adolescents report high depression and anxiety from academic requirements. Yet because these same stressors are believed to be the foundations of success, students continue striving for perfection. 

The effects do not end at psychological health: continuous stress may also cause physical health complications including sleep disorders and lethargy, ironically leading to a reduced capacity of students to do their schoolwork. The personal development of the child is also hindered; incessant pressure diminishes the chances for the development of creativity and the discovery of one's personal interests. The total impact of these factors shows that notable test scores does not always indicate the overall development of students.

When such scenarios unfold, individuals' struggles with mental health are sometimes perceived as their inherent weaknesses whereas the failings of the system are neglected. On top of that, societal customs create barriers by compounding the problem. For example, in numerous East Asian families, academic pressure is often linked to filial piety. While reverence for parents and operation of family duties may serve as sources of love and care, the authoritarian model of filial piety and obedience escalates academic pressure drastically. In situations where children are forbidden from challenging standards and telling their problems, anxiety becomes internalized. 

Those who uphold and defend such systems usually rely on achievements as evidence, which is the case with East Asian students who are consistently placed at the top of the list of global assessments like the PISA. However, even worldwide education statistics entail that academic success cannot be merely induced by pressure. Learners are placed in the best positions to excel when they are emotionally nurtured by the faculty, have good relations with friends, and are free from ridicule and fear. Pushing through fear might give a quick increase in scores, but it is a long-term burden for these students. 

The core of the problem is not the lack of rigor. Truly, challenge is indispensable for personal development. The concern, however, is with the imbalance. A good number of educational institutions have made it a habit to lay emphasis on the results while neglecting the students, hence, perceiving good mental health as a lesser matter. When educational institutions fail to consider cultural context and emotional development, they fail to equip students with the necessary skills for life beyond exams. If education is aimed at producing confident and healthy individuals, then those systems that are based on chronic stress and fear are clearly not achieving this goal. 

It is time for policymakers and educators to stop considering the well-being of students and their academic success as an "either-or" choice. Real success should not be defined solely by test scores or rankings, but by whether students gain from school the confidence for future success.

References

Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development. (2023). PISA 2022 results: How did countries perform? https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2023/12/pisa‑2022‑results‑volume‑i_76772a36.htm

Kim, H., Lee, E., & Park, J. (2024). The relationship between academic stress and depression among college students during the COVID‑19 pandemic: a cross‑sectional study from China. BMC Psychiatry, 24, Article 5506. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888‑024‑05506‑8

Cho, S. I., Kim, Y., & Lee, N. (2023). Mental health of adolescents in South Korea associated with academic pressure and competitive schooling. BMC Public Health, 23, Article 15808. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889‑023‑15808‑3

de la Torre‑Luque, A., et al. (2024). Youth epidemiology and resilience: Predictors of mental health symptoms in adolescent students. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, Article 1454484. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1454484

More sleep, less screen time as China aims to reduce student stress. (2025, November 12). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia‑pacific/more‑sleep‑less‑screen‑time‑china‑aims‑reduce‑student‑stress‑2025‑11‑12/