First-Year Students Account for 58% of Gangnam Dropouts... Ministry of Education: "Not an Unusual Phenomenon"

[Financial News] Although first-year high school students accounted for 58% of those who discontinued their studies at general high schools in the three Gangnam districts last year, the Ministry of Education said it would be difficult to conclude that the figure resulted from the five-tier high school grading system. First-year students have accounted for more than half of all students who discontinued their studies for some time, and the proportion in the three Gangnam districts was not significantly different from the national average, the ministry explained.
According to data from the Korean Educational Statistics Service and School Info released on the 4th, 816 students discontinued their studies at general high schools in Gangnam-gu, Seocho District, and Songpa District during the 2025 academic year. Gangnam-gu had the highest number at 312, followed by Songpa District with 272 and Seocho District with 232. Overall, 2.59% of the 31,552 general high school students in the three Gangnam districts discontinued their studies.
Of these, 473 were first-year students, accounting for 58.0% of the total. The figure was 184 in Gangnam-gu, 160 in Songpa District, and 129 in Seocho District. Among the 10,545 first-year students at general high schools in the three Gangnam districts, 4.49% discontinued their studies, higher than the average across all grades.
Some admissions-industry analysts suggested that first-year students, who were the first to be subject to the five-tier grading system, may have concluded that they were disadvantaged in competition over school grades and chosen college admissions routes centered on the High School Equivalency Examination and the CSAT. They argued that this choice may have been more common in the three Gangnam districts, where many students rank near the top and competition for school grades is particularly intense.
The Ministry of Education, however, is taking a cautious view of this interpretation. A Ministry of Education official said, "First-year students have traditionally accounted for about 50% to 60% of all students who discontinue their studies," adding, "It is difficult to regard the 58% in the three Gangnam districts as significantly higher than in other areas."
An analysis of past educational statistics by the Ministry of Education also found that first-year students had consistently accounted for more than half of all students who discontinued their studies. The ministry explained that the proportion of first-year students appears high because relatively few third-year students discontinue their studies.
The Ministry of Education believes it is particularly difficult to assess the impact of the five-tier grading system based solely on data from the 2025 academic year. The 2026 educational statistics announced this time were compiled from data for the 2025 academic year and show the status of students who discontinued their studies during the period when first-year students in 2025 were subject to the five-tier system for the first time. However, determining whether changes actually resulted from the system's introduction requires comparisons with previous years.
A Ministry of Education official said, "The number of first-year students discontinuing their studies had continued to rise in the past, and the proportion of first-year students had also remained between 50% and 60%," adding, "It is difficult to say, based solely on the 2025 academic year figures, that discontinuations increased because of the five-tier high school grading system."
The Ministry of Education also explained that the overall rate of students discontinuing their studies in the three Gangnam districts was not overwhelmingly higher than in other areas. In the latest statistics, the overall rate was 3.15% in Seocho District, 2.56% in Gangnam-gu, and 2.27% in Songpa District. Although Seocho and Gangnam had relatively high rates among Seoul's districts, no separate evidence was found to directly link them to the impact of the five-tier grading system.
The Ministry of Education is instead focusing on changes emerging this year. Since students subject to the five-tier system in the 2026 academic year have become second-year students, the ministry says it is necessary to examine how the actual trend in study discontinuations changes. Based on an analysis of some data so far, the ministry believes there is also a downward trend in the number of first-year students discontinuing their studies compared with last year.
A Ministry of Education official said, "It is necessary to analyze data for the 2026 academic year to determine whether there has been an actual change," adding, "So far, we do not believe that the pattern of students discontinuing their studies during the 2025 academic year changed significantly because of the five-tier high school grading system."
Ultimately, these statistics show that the number of students discontinuing their studies at general high schools in the three Gangnam districts is not insignificant. They do not establish that the introduction of the five-tier grading system caused a sharp increase in discontinuations among first-year students. Assessing the system's impact will require comparisons with nationwide data and previous years, along with further examination of discontinuation trends after the 2026 academic year.   

[email protected] Kim Man-gi Reporter