[Global Issue+] Why Do School Terms Differ by Country Amid COVID-19?

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] As the COVID-19 pandemic has led schools worldwide to close for extended periods, more countries are considering changing their academic calendars. Notably, Japan, which like South Korea starts its school year in spring, is reportedly reviewing a plan to shift to a September academic calendar starting next year.

According to Japan's Jiji Press on the 21st, the Japanese government is seriously considering adopting a September academic calendar from next year. The plan involves children born in April 2014 enrolling in elementary school in April next year, undergoing a five-month adaptation period, and then officially starting school in September. During these five months, education authorities will prepare and address challenges such as securing teachers before the official September enrollment.

In fact, even before the COVID-19 crisis, there had been strong voices within Japan advocating for a shift to a September academic calendar. South Korea has similar discussions. This is because about 70% of countries worldwide, including the United States, Europe, and China, follow a September academic calendar, and changing to September would help align the academic schedules of international students coming into the country and those going abroad.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

The reason academic calendars differ by country stems from various factors such as seasonal conditions and budgetary issues. In the Northern Hemisphere, only countries like South Korea and Japan generally start their school year in the spring months of March and April, while Southern Hemisphere countries, experiencing opposite seasons, begin their academic year in February or March. In other words, most countries start their school year in the fall.

The global dominance of the fall academic calendar dates back to the 19th century when compulsory education systems were first established. Compulsory elementary education began in 1880 in the United Kingdom, with other European countries implementing similar systems around the same time. At that time, the vast majority of the population in Europe were farmers, and children required to attend school had to work on farms until the autumn harvest season.

This led to serious issues with truancy, prompting governments to adopt the September academic calendar. The school year would run from September to around June of the following year, allowing children to work on farms during the busy summer farming season, which is why the fall academic calendar was established.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The reasons South Korea and Japan have operated spring academic calendars are different. Japan has maintained an April academic calendar because the Japanese government's fiscal year ends on March 31, and the new fiscal year begins on April 1, so schools aligned their academic calendar accordingly. However, it is also known that the spring academic calendar was adopted because of the high heating costs in winter, necessitating a winter break.

South Korea operates a March academic calendar, one month earlier than Japan. Historically, in the 19th century, a July academic calendar was used, but during the Japanese colonial period, an April academic calendar was followed. After liberation, under the influence of the U.S. military government, a September academic calendar was briefly implemented. Since 1962, the March academic calendar has been in place. Due to power shortages and shorter daylight hours in winter making classes difficult, the academic schedule was set to finish before winter, starting one month earlier than Japan.

Thus, academic calendars that originated for different reasons in each country are now facing challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are even discussions about closing schools worldwide for a full year for this academic year and restarting the grade levels, but changing academic calendars involves significant social costs and affects students' futures, making it a complex issue.