Jeonbuk Education, Lost between College Entrance Exams and Credit System

Criticism is growing that the education curriculum in Jeonbuk high schools is losing its direction amidst structural discrepancies with college entrance exams. The Jeonbuk Regional Joint Education Committee (Representative Kim Hak-san) demanded a strong policy shift from the Jeonbuk Provincial Office of Education and Jeonbuk University through a report titled "Exploring Ways to Develop High School Credit System through Analysis of College Entrance Exams" released on the 8th.

"It's not the policy, but the structure that's the problem"
Kwon Hyeok-seon, policy advisor of the Jeonbuk Regional Joint Education Committee (Chairman of the Korean Association of Secondary School Principals), precisely pointed out the structural issues in Jeonbuk high school education by comparing the entrance exam structures of Seoul's major universities and local key national universities including Jeonbuk University.

Seoul-based universities focus on comprehensive student evaluations (hereinafter referred to as "school-based evaluations"), emphasizing academic history, detailed abilities and specialties, and investigative skills, aligning with the philosophy of the high school credit system. In contrast, Jeonbuk University adheres to a quantitative evaluation-centered system focusing on 100% internal grades and minimum standards for the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), making it practically impossible to realize the "student-customized education curriculum" emphasized by the credit system.

Jeonbuk University, Lowest in the Country in School-Based Evaluations for Medical School
According to the report, out of the 142 students recruited by Jeonbuk University's medical school for the 2025 academic year, only 5 students (3.5%) were selected through school-based evaluations. This is the lowest among key national universities in the country, starkly contrasting with the school-based evaluation rate of 42.3% for medical schools in Seoul in the same year.

The Jeonbuk Regional Joint Education Committee criticized Jeonbuk University for continuously ignoring demands for expanding school-based evaluations raised by the local community and education sector. This kind of entrance exam structure was criticized for making "career-based elective subjects operation impossible, hindering the diversity of the curriculum and individual student growth."

Concentration Phenomenon, Dual Tracks, Academic Disparities
Quantitative evaluation-based entrance exams centered around key national universities are causing serious subject concentration issues in high schools. Students tend to choose subjects that are advantageous for their internal grades over their career paths, conflicting with the core value of the high school credit system, which emphasizes a "student-led education curriculum."

The report pointed out, "The competition among top-tier students in internal grades is leading to an exam-oriented teaching approach focused on discrimination in both general and career-oriented subjects," and as a result, "there is a severe academic disparity with 90% of A-grade students accounting for only around 10%, while E-grade students make up 40-60%."

Some schools are simultaneously operating school-based education curricula for top-tier students and non-curricular-based "dual tracks" for comprehensive evaluations for mid to lower-tier students. The consistent voice from the field is that this is leading to an accumulation of fatigue among teachers and students.

Policy Shift Inevitable with the First Generation of High School Credit System
The 2028 academic year marks the point where the first generation of students completing the high school credit system will enter the college entrance process. The report suggested that if key national universities continue to adhere only to a quantitative evaluation-centered curriculum, there will be further discrepancies between the high school credit system's intentions and the actual situation on the ground. It proposed that through expanding comprehensive entrance exams and supplementing document and interview evaluations within the curriculum, students' learning experiences and career suitability should be evaluated.

Using the example of Chungbuk Province, the report highlighted that regions with a high proportion of comprehensive evaluations in the 2025 academic year's middle-tier (3-4 grades) results actually achieved better outcomes, proving that the focus on regular and subject-based entrance exams is disadvantageous for the normalization of high school education.

"It's Time for Alternatives, Not Conflicts"
Park Jun, Chairman of the Jeonbuk Regional Joint Education Committee, stated, "It is unproductive for the Jeonbuk education sector to remain immersed in the debate over the pros and cons of the high school credit system," adding, "Similar conflicts recurred even during the tenure of former Superintendent Kim Seung-hwan, and the students bore the brunt of the consequences."

He further emphasized, "What is needed now is not conflict but alternatives," stating, "The Jeonbuk Provincial Office of Education should create an environment where the credit system can take root through a substantial shift in educational administration, rather than blaming the region's economic conditions or students' backgrounds."

"Without Decisive Actions from Universities and Education Offices, There Will Be No Change"
Finally, the report recommended that Jeonbuk University should increase the proportion of school-based evaluations for medical school beyond the national average and suggested that subject-based evaluations should enable a practical assessment of high school credit system graduates through the completion of minimum recommended subjects, special evaluations, and others.

Regarding the Jeonbuk Provincial Office of Education, it emphasized the need to expand the participation of field teachers and experts in policy planning and the establishment of strategies linked to college admissions, as well as the need to improve administrative and institutional foundations to ensure that individual schools can properly operate the credit system.

Through the press release, the Jeonbuk Regional Joint Education Committee stated, "The Jeonbuk Provincial Office of Education must no longer turn a blind eye to the confusion on the ground," adding, "It is now time for a bold shift towards field-centered educational administration that is faithful to the essence of education, rather than being policy-centric."