Three teacher groups: “Resolve the turmoil over the high school credit system first”

[Financial News]   Teachers’ unions and education groups called for a halt to reforms of the college admissions and assessment systems, saying that the disruption in schools caused by the high school credit system must be addressed first.
They argue that introducing constructed-response and essay questions on the CSAT before resolving problems with the existing system could further increase the burden on students and teachers.
The Teachers’ Union Federation, KFTA, and KTU—three organizations representing teachers—held a joint press conference in front of Government Complex Seoul at 11 a.m. on the 8th, calling on the National Education Commission and the Ministry of Education to take measures to normalize high school education. As the commission discusses reforming the college admissions system while drawing up a mid- to long-term national education development plan, the three groups joined forces to respond.
The three groups identified the conflict between the high school credit system and the college admissions system as the biggest problem. The high school credit system allows students to choose and complete courses based on their career paths and aptitudes. But because school grades count toward college admissions, students end up choosing courses in which they are more likely to earn higher grades rather than the courses they want to study. They noted that the problem could worsen as relative grading is introduced for some career electives that were previously graded on an absolute scale.
They also cited educational disparities linked to school size. Schools with fewer teachers and students have limited options for the courses they can offer, meaning students have different classes to choose from even when they are subject to the same high school credit system. The three groups stressed that the mismatch between the curriculum and the admissions system must be resolved ahead of the 2028 college admissions cycle, the first for students subject to the credit system.
They also opposed introducing constructed-response and essay questions on the CSAT. They said conditions must first be put in place for students to receive an education that gives them ample opportunities to read, discuss, and write in class. The three groups warned that changing only the test format, without setting aside time for teachers to write and grade questions, could lead to more disputes and complaints over grading criteria, as well as greater burdens from private education and wider educational disparities.
Surveys released by teachers’ organizations also showed strong calls for improvements to the system. In a survey of 1,197 high school teachers conducted by the Secondary Teachers’ Union from July 20 to August 3, 98.2% of respondents called for a comprehensive review, abolition, or a comprehensive overhaul of the high school credit system. In a survey conducted by KTU from September 21 to October 2, 70.4% of the 1,346 high school teachers included in the analysis opposed introducing constructed-response and essay questions on the CSAT.
Song Su-yeon, chair of the Teachers’ Union Federation, asked rhetorically, “If you can’t even resolve the problems we have now, how do you intend to take responsibility for the next reform?”
Kang Ju-ho, president of KFTA, said, “We must put an end to increasing workloads without adding teachers and relying on teachers’ dedication to fill the gaps in the system.”
Park Yeong-hwan, chair of KTU, also said, “Teachers are not the objects of reform but its agents,” and called for the views of those in schools to be reflected.
The three groups called for career and interdisciplinary elective courses to be the first to switch to absolute grading. Their aim is for students to choose courses based on their career paths by being assessed on their achievement in each subject rather than competing with other students for grades.
They also called for more regular teachers and guaranteed in-person classes at small schools. In addition, they argued that the non-completion system—which does not recognize a student’s completion of a course if they fall below a specified achievement level—and the minimum achievement-level support program, which provides extra instruction to students with insufficient academic achievement, should be abolished, and that practical support for basic academic skills should be strengthened. They also called for reducing the burden of recording information in school records and detailed subject-specific abilities and comments.
The three groups urged education authorities to halt college admissions and assessment reforms that lack adequate preparation and verification, and to establish a formal consultative body with teacher participation and make the improvement plans and schedule public. They said, “A student’s three years of high school cannot be undone,” and added, “The National Education Commission and the Ministry of Education must take responsibility for schools today before talking about the future of education.”

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