This Year, 53,761 New Students Enroll in Seoul General High Schools... 4,663 More Than Last Year

Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to Announce Second Semester High School Placement on the 2nd at 10 AM

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The number of new students entering general high schools in Seoul this year increased by 9.5% compared to the previous year.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced on the 1st that for the 2023 academic year, the number of new students admitted through the Superintendent's selection for the second semester high schools is 53,761 across 209 schools, with 27,236 male students and 26,525 female students.

Specifically, the breakdown is △general applicants 52,854 △athletic special talent 676 △quota within the limit 5 △quota outside the limit 226 (children of veterans, physically disabled, qualified for special admission), etc.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education explained that out of 61,676 applicants, 7,915 were excluded from assignment, including 76 who failed the Superintendent's selection for the second semester high schools, 7,651 who applied to autonomous private high schools simultaneously, 170 who were admitted to arts and physical education specialized classes, and 18 who were admitted to first semester high schools.

The number of students assigned this year increased by 4,663 (9.5%) compared to last year, which is analyzed to be influenced by a temporary increase in the birth rate in 2007, known as the Year of the Golden Pig, along with a decrease in the number of students admitted to specialized high schools and autonomous private high schools for the 2023 academic year, leading to an increase in applicants for second semester high schools.

However, due to the Ministry of Education's reduction in teacher quotas, the number of classes for new students in second semester high schools increased by only 5 classes compared to last year, resulting in an average of 26.9 students per class this year, up 2.3 from 24.6 students last year.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education explained that when students residing in other school zones wished to attend schools within the Jungbu school zone (Jongno, Yongsan, Jung-gu), they were assigned as requested with priority, while focusing on respecting the choices of students and parents as much as possible, reducing disparities in student numbers between regions and schools, and minimizing long-distance commuting.

The results of the 2023 academic year Seoul Superintendent's selection for second semester high school assignments will be notified to students and parents via mobile phone messages at 10 a.m. on the 2nd. New students must receive their assignment notice from their middle school of origin or the district education support office where they applied, and register for admission at the assigned high school on the 2nd and 3rd.

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, said, “We plan to uphold the principle of balanced assignment so that the Superintendent's selection for second semester high schools can reduce disparities between schools while respecting the school choice rights of students and parents.”