Accumulated Valid Leave of Absence Cases Until the Previous Day: 9,986
The number of medical students who submitted valid leave of absence applications under university regulations in protest against the government's policy to increase medical school admissions has increased by 768, bringing the cumulative number of applications to more than half of all medical students.
According to the Ministry of Education on the 29th, a survey conducted the previous day targeting 40 medical schools nationwide found that 768 students from 8 schools had applied for valid leave of absence. Among them, leave applications from 3 students at 2 schools were approved.
The cumulative number of valid leave of absence applications as of the previous day totaled 9,986, which is 53.1% of the 18,793 enrolled medical students nationwide as of April last year.
Students are entering a medical school in Seoul on the 20th, when the results of the increased medical school admission quota distribution, which sparked conflict between the medical community and the government, are being announced. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
A valid leave of absence application is one submitted following the procedures stipulated in the university regulations, such as parental consent and department head signature. Until last month, the Ministry of Education counted all leave applications submitted by students regardless of compliance with procedural requirements, but from this month onward, only valid leave applications are being counted. In particular, the Ministry's position is that even if a 'valid leave' application meets formal requirements, a strike leave is not a valid reason for leave and should not be approved.
On the previous day, class boycotts were confirmed at 8 universities. Medical students have been boycotting classes since the 20th of last month because their leave applications have not been processed. As a result, there is a possibility of a 'mass failure' situation due to not meeting the required number of class days according to university regulations. According to most medical school regulations, if a student is absent for one-third or one-fourth or more of the class days, they receive an F grade, and receiving an F grade in even one subject results in failure of the year.
The Ministry of Education stated that it has requested universities to normalize academic operations.
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