High school credit system launches

[Anchor]

'Understanding Love', 'News and Media'.

It may look like a university lecture, but starting this year, new subjects like these will be introduced in high schools.

With the full implementation of the high school credit system for first-year students this new semester, students will be able to choose subjects they wish to take, just like university students registering for classes.

In the first year, students will first learn mandatory common subjects, and as they progress to higher grades, they will select subjects based on their career paths and aptitudes.

In college admissions, not only grades and standardized test scores will be evaluated, but also how many relevant subjects have been completed, making subject selection crucial.

This marks a significant change in the high school education landscape, and reporter Go Ah-reum has looked into the current state of preparations on the ground.

[Report]

Prospective first-year students are attending an explanation session for the high school credit system.

There are expectations that students will be able to design their career paths while choosing classes like college students.

[Kang Min-kyu/Prospective First-Year Student: "Since we have to choose (classes), I think carefully about it, and I feel like I can choose my career path better while taking classes."]

Some students express confusion about which classes to take.

[Lee Si-young/Prospective First-Year Student: "I'm worried a lot about choosing because I haven't decided on my career path yet."]

Concerns are also raised that the implementation of the high school credit system may widen the educational gap based on regional and parental income levels.

In fact, an analysis of schools participating in the high school credit system research found that urban schools offered an average of 33 elective subjects, while rural areas only had 26.

[High School Teacher in Chungcheongnam-do Province/Voice Altered: "They tell us to have children take online classes, but why should rural students have to take online classes instead of in-person classes?"]

If students flock to subjects that are easier to get high grades in, the original intention of prioritizing career paths and aptitudes may be undermined.

[Lim Ji-min/Prospective First-Year Student: "It seems like grades are a problem too, as the reality is that you need to get a top grade to go to college."]

As the number of subjects increases and individual career planning becomes more important, there are calls to reduce class sizes to an appropriate level for effective teaching and assessment.

[Jeong Mi-ra/Byeongjeom High School Teacher in Gyeonggi Province: "In a class with more than 25 students, can a teacher really provide appropriate feedback and individual guidance for each student?"]

The Ministry of Education has announced plans to strengthen customized support through communication portals like 'Together School' to reduce confusion arising from the introduction of the high school credit system.

KBS News, Go Ah-reum.