It was found that the number of students who dropped out before completing the first year of high school topped 10,000 for the first time ever last year.
According to the education sector including Jongro Academy on the 22nd, 18,661 students dropped out from 1,703 general high schools nationwide last year.
By grade, first-year general high school dropouts numbered 10,450, accounting for 56.0%.
This is the first time since data began to be compiled in 2019 that first-year dropouts exceeded 10,000. Second- and third-year students were counted at 7,346 (39.4%) and 865 (4.6%), respectively.
The number of dropouts also appeared concentrated in parts of Seoul known for intense emphasis on education.
At Jungang University High School in Dogok 2-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, the number of dropouts was 46, the most in Gangnam District. Dandae High School had 32, Sookmyung Girls' High School 21, Whimoon High School 21, and Kyunggi High School 21.
The education sector noted that because a five-level internal grade system was applied for the first time starting with first-year students last year, more students likely dropped out to focus on the regular admissions track.
Lim Sung-ho, head of Jongro Academy, said, "With the change from a nine-level to a five-level internal grade system, the burden may be seen as eased in terms of grade distinctions, but the assessment likely was that if a student failed to reach the top level, admission to major universities could become difficult."