A survey found that since the implementation of the "high school credit system" this year, about one in three high school students has considered "dropping out." Many cited increased difficulty in choosing a career path and pressure from grade-point averages. The high school credit system allows students to choose subjects on their own, similar to college students, and has been applied starting with first-year high school students born in 2009.
Three teachers' organizations, the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA), the Teachers' Union Federation, and the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU), announced on the 18th the results of a survey of 1,670 high school students nationwide on "student opinions about the high school credit system."
Among respondents, 33.5% said they had "seriously considered dropping out." Many cited as reasons: ▲ difficulty deciding on and changing a career path ▲ difficulty managing grade-point averages ▲ concerns about not earning credits ▲ difficulty adjusting to the school atmosphere.
One student who responded to the survey said, "I still don't know what my career path is, so I don't understand being told to choose electives to match it," while another said, "The high school credit system actually hinders my career choice."
Regarding the reduction of the grade bands in school records from nine levels to five with the implementation of the high school credit system, one respondent said, "We have to handle performance assessments, written exams, student records, and even prepare for the CSAT, but if I make one mistake and get a second level, I worry I won't be able to get into college."
More than half of the high school students who participated in the survey responded that "it is difficult for first-year high school students to decide on their career paths on their own." In response to the question, "Do you think students classified as not having earned credits, or those subject to the minimum achievement guarantee guidance (MAEG), are regarded as problem students?" 60.5% said yes.
Among high school students, 70.13% also said that "in the high school credit system, help from private education providers such as cram schools and consulting is necessary for subject and career selection."
The three teachers' organizations said, "We must swiftly push for the complete abolition of the minimum achievement guarantee guidance and the non-credit policy, and convert career and convergence elective subjects to absolute grading," and argued, "We need to quickly overhaul the high school credit system, which neither teachers nor students recognize as educationally effective."