High School Students Choose Desired Subjects... Must Meet Attendance and Achievement Rates to Graduate

Full Implementation of High School Credit System from 2025, Currently Applied from 6th Grade
Graduation Requires Both Attendance and Credits... 192 Credits Over 3 Years
If Academic Achievement Rate Is Not Met, 'Incomplete' Status... Supplementary Completion Required for Graduation
Common Subjects Indicate Grade and Rank, Elective Subjects Show Achievement Level Grades

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Starting in 2025, when current 6th-grade elementary students enter high school, the "High School Credit System" will be fully implemented. Each student's timetable will vary according to the subjects they choose based on their career path, and graduation will only be possible after meeting both the required number of school days and minimum academic achievement standards.

On the 17th, Yoo Eun-hye, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, announced the "Comprehensive Promotion Plan for the High School Credit System" at Galmae High School in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, stating, "The High School Credit System is a major transformation of the education system that supports students to grow into self-directed talents, moving away from uniform education," and added, "We will firmly establish the foundation for a major transformation in high school education by 2025 through the 2022 curriculum revision, future-oriented college admissions, and high school system reorganization."

The High School Credit System refers to a system where students complete various subjects according to their career paths and graduate upon accumulating the required credits. With the introduction of this system, students can select subjects tailored to their career paths, enabling customized classes, and even general high schools can offer advanced and specialized subjects. It was introduced in Meister High Schools last year, partially implemented in general high schools starting next year, and will be fully applied in 2025. This also coincides with the transition of foreign language high schools and autonomous private high schools into general high schools.

Graduation requires fulfilling both attendance and academic achievement rates. Previously, students could graduate by attending two-thirds of the school days, but now they must meet both the subject attendance rate (two-thirds of class sessions) and academic achievement rate (40% or higher). Students must earn 192 credits over three years, with one credit equivalent to 16 class sessions, similar to universities (15 sessions). The first semester of the first year is a career-focused semester to concretize career and academic plans. Additionally, the maximum credits per grade are set at 28 to prevent students from concentrating too many classes in a single year.

The method of calculating and displaying internal grades will also change. Achievement levels will be indicated from A to E, and if the achievement rate is below 40%, an I (Incomplete) grade will be assigned. Students receiving an I grade, indicating academic achievement below 40%, must earn credits through supplementary courses (assignments, online courses, etc.). Common subjects will display both achievement levels and rank grades, while elective subjects will show only achievement levels. For example, if a student takes a subject called Politics and Law, the raw score, achievement level (number of students), and the percentage of students at each achievement level will be displayed together.

The Ministry of Education explained, "The achievement evaluation system is similar to an absolute evaluation system, comprehensively assessing written tests and process-centered evaluations to determine how closely students meet the curriculum goals," and added, "We will also establish a system to monitor the Curriculum Evaluation Institute and school grade status."

Along with the implementation of the High School Credit System, the role of teachers is expected to change. Instead of focusing on attendance and behavioral guidance, teachers will manage students' academic achievements, especially for a small number of students. The teacher training system, which currently focuses on single-subject specialization, will also be revised. New teacher supply standards will be established by next year. Starting this year, subject itinerant teachers will be assigned to education support offices to enable students to take various classes. In cases where securing teachers is difficult, such as for rare subjects or in rural and fishing villages, the system will be improved to allow hiring external experts as contract teachers to conduct subject classes.

Ham Young-gi, Director of Curriculum Policy at the Ministry of Education, said, "Schools must take responsibility to prevent I grades from occurring, and students must manage their choices by self-regulating their learning," adding, "We hope that the college admissions system will also be improved to align with the purpose of the High School Credit System."

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