Progressive superintendent candidates propose radical education reforms ahead of June elections
Progressive candidates running for superintendent roles in 15 metropolitan and provincial education offices have revealed their joint campaign promises. Announced on Tuesday, the proposals include sweeping changes to college admissions and the elimination of certain specialised schools. Registration for the June 3 local elections will open later this week, running for two days from Thursday. The candidates are pushing for a shift to absolute grading in both the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) and high school transcripts. They argue this would help 'normalize' public education and reduce long-standing inequalities. However, critics point out that no clear alternative has been proposed for how universities would then select students.
Their plans also call for the abolition of autonomous private high schools, as well as foreign language and international high schools for local students. These changes, they claim, would restore fairness in public education without sacrificing academic standards. Yet opponents argue that the proposals exceed the legal authority of provincial and metropolitan superintendents, as major reforms to the admissions system fall under the National Education Commission’s control.
The push for absolute grading is not new. The Moon Jae-in administration had previously promised to implement it for the CSAT but later abandoned the idea. Now, the candidates are reviving the debate, insisting that such reforms are necessary to address educational disparities. The proposals will likely spark further discussion as candidate registration begins this week. If implemented, the changes would mark a significant shift in how students are assessed and admitted to universities. The outcome of the June 3 elections will determine whether these plans move forward.
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