'High School Credit System' to be Fully Introduced in All Specialized High Schools and Partially in General High Schools Next Year

Expansion to 1,252 Research and Leading Schools This Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The introduction of the 'High School Credit System,' where the same class timetable disappears and students attend classes with different schedules, is expanding. Starting this year, it will be applied up to the second year of Meister High Schools and will be implemented in all specialized high schools and some general high schools from next year.

The High School Credit System refers to a system where students complete various subjects according to their career paths and are recognized for graduation once their accumulated credits reach the required standard. Currently, students select subjects only within a limited range and graduation is determined by attendance days, but with the implementation of the High School Credit System, students can complete subjects according to the achieved grades, and graduation is only possible when the accumulated credits meet the criteria.

Since the High School Credit System operates based on credits, total credits required and mandatory credits are set. Besides the mandatory credits, students can choose various subjects to take. In the 2015 curriculum, the total required units were 204, but with the implementation of the High School Credit System, the credits at Meister High Schools were reduced to 192 starting last year. One unit changed to one credit, and the number of classes per unit, previously 17 sessions of 50 minutes, was reduced to 16 sessions. Within the credit range excluding mandatory credits, students can freely select subjects. Taking at least 24 credits in other majors is recognized as a minor.

The Ministry of Education introduced the High School Credit System to Meister High Schools in March last year. In 2022, 732 schools were designated as research and pilot schools, and this year the plan is to expand to 1,252 schools. The number of subjects available for selection in these schools increased from 30 to 50. The High School Credit System will be introduced to specialized high schools next year and fully implemented from 2025. It was decided to expand subject selection rights and strengthen the educational capacity of general high schools starting from the 7th curriculum.

One of the requirements to introduce the High School Credit System is 'space.' Classrooms, laboratories, lounges, etc., where various classes can be conducted simultaneously, are necessary. The Ministry of Education plans to create a school environment suitable for the High School Credit System through the 'Green Smart Future School' project, a school New Deal project that remodels school buildings over 40 years old to fit customized education. It takes a long time to promote this project, and measures for schools not included in the project are also needed.

Measures to supplement the fluctuating demand for teachers by semester or grade level are also identified as tasks. This is due to the increasing importance of teachers' ability to teach various subjects under the High School Credit System. The Ministry of Education plans to develop a new teacher supply and demand model in the second half of this year and establish a teacher supply and demand plan next year.

There are criticisms that the High School Credit System is only half-baked because it is conducted by relative evaluation and lacks a retake system. The Ministry of Education is considering introducing an achievement evaluation system (absolute evaluation system) after 2022. Most countries operating the High School Credit System abroad have adopted absolute evaluation. In the case of Meister High Schools, relative evaluation is applied to general subjects such as Korean, English, Math, Social Studies, and Science, but only specialized subjects apply the achievement evaluation system. The core of the High School Credit System is that completion is divided by the 'minimum achievement level.' However, under the current system, students are required to meet the minimum level unconditionally by utilizing after-school or seasonal semesters.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.