What is the most demanded reform in the education sector? It is related to the college entrance exam and includes the content of school grades and the national college entrance exam (CSAT). Personally, I spent a lot of time contemplating reform proposals based on the belief that changing these two aspects could lead to an overall improvement in education. However, the demand for reform regarding school grades and the CSAT is primarily for the purpose of college entrance exams. Nevertheless, in observing the debate over the abolition of the high school credit system by 2025, the introduction of achievement evaluations and minimum achievement level guarantee guidance (referred to as "CSBG"), I have come to recognize the importance of guiding students with inadequate basic academic skills and realized that minimizing this issue is the most critical challenge in the education sector.

Ensuring guidance for basic academic skills is an essential element for the success of the high school credit system and achievement evaluations. It is crucial to minimize the burden of "CSBG" in the first year of high school's common education curriculum to enable the normal operation of the elective curriculum in the second year.

Teachers and educational organizations are expressing doubts as to why "CSBG" is not present in elementary and middle schools where achievement evaluations are already being conducted. Moreover, they believe that the lack of guidance for students with inadequate basic academic skills in elementary and middle schools makes it challenging to operate the normal curriculum in high schools. Then, why is "CSBG" absent in elementary and middle schools?

Firstly, elementary and middle schools are compulsory education where subjects are mandatory, not optional. There is no concept of incomplete subjects. In middle school, the completion is determined based on the attendance days. Secondly, for ensuring guidance on basic academic skills and collecting personal information of students under 14 years old, the handwritten consent of the legal guardian (parents) is essential. Many parents refuse guidance on basic academic skills due to concerns about stigmatization.

Amid these challenges, elementary and middle schools are guiding students with weak basic academic skills through various methods such as after-school learning, dream school programs, and cooperative classes. However, the number of students failing to reach the basic academic skills level in the March basic academic skills diagnostic assessment and those falling under the 1st grade (lacking basic academic skills) in the national academic achievement assessment continues to increase. A serious issue arises in high schools with the credit system. In the credit system, students must select subjects according to their aptitude and career path. However, if there are many students who do not meet the standards of the first-year common education curriculum, it becomes impossible to operate the elective-focused curriculum in the 2nd and 3rd years. The evaluation for university entrance is known as the "College Scholastic Ability Test" (CSAT). It signifies an exam that measures the basic academic ability to study at universities that operate elective-focused curricula. In the past, the high school curriculum was subject-oriented, similar to elementary and middle schools. However, with the high school credit system, high schools are operated with elective-focused curricula aligned with the hierarchy, similar to universities. A minimum level of mathematical ability (basic academic skills) is also required for high school entrance. Therefore, it is proposed to introduce a middle school graduation qualification exam targeting middle school 3rd-year students (over 15 years old).

Currently, the basic academic skills diagnostic assessment (March) for 3rd-year middle school students and the 1st and 2nd improvement assessments (June, September) should be transformed into a "middle school graduation qualification exam" to equip students with the basic academic skills required by high schools. The assessments related to basic academic skills in middle schools include school-autonomous customized academic achievement self-assessment (CSAS), national academic achievement assessment (NAAA) as a sample test, and the mandatory basic academic skills diagnostic assessment (BASDA) conducted in March. The evaluation proposed to be replaced by the middle school graduation qualification exam is the March basic academic skills diagnostic assessment. The basic academic skills diagnostic assessment has a much lower difficulty level compared to CSAS or NAAA.

Several specific measures have been considered. Firstly, evaluate each subject area of Korean, English, and Mathematics with a standard of over 60% without disclosing raw scores or average scores, only indicating a simple pass/fail for each subject without concerns of private education or issues related to rankings. Secondly, the current criteria for the diagnostic assessment require solving 15-20 out of 30 questions based on subject items and achievement levels. If a student fails to meet the criteria in at least one of the three subject areas, it is considered a failure. In the case of students weak in a specific area, they may give up on the assessment. The estimated proportion of students failing the diagnostic assessment is around 10%, not based on subject-specific failure statistics but on the occurrence when a student fails to meet the criteria in any of the three subject areas. Students needing 2nd or 3rd assessments per subject are relatively few. Therefore, the burden on middle schools due to the introduction of the graduation qualification exam is expected to be less significant than anticipated, and it is hoped that it will lead to an overall improvement in the academic atmosphere.

Thirdly, conduct the March basic academic skills diagnostic assessment in the current CBT format. Students who pass all three subject areas will obtain the qualification, while those who fail in any area will retake that specific subject in the 1st improvement assessment in June. If they still fail in the 1st improvement assessment, they will retest in the 2nd improvement assessment in September to supplement and take responsibility for learning the deficient subjects. There may still be students failing in the final evaluation. For special education students or those with borderline intelligence, a separate form should be used to record their information. If a general student fails, a separate provision should be made for them to undergo a review process by the Academic Performance Management Committee to minimize the number of failing students.

Currently, there is no lack of assessments related to basic academic skills in elementary, middle, and high schools. In fact, there are numerous assessments. However, the assessments lack effectiveness. Many students question, "Why do we have to take these tests? What are the consequences if we fail?" If there are no consequences, the Generation Z students will take the tests without any real meaning. It becomes impossible to accurately evaluate students' academic abilities, leading to a decline in academic performance. Many teachers are voicing difficulties due to the polarization of academic abilities in high schools. However, there is a lack of voices demanding fundamental solutions. If the high school credit system is needed to prepare for future society, the middle school graduation qualification exam for evaluating basic academic skills should become a necessity, not an option.