Ewha Girls' High School Gives Up 11th Autonomous Private High School Status... "Expected Decline in Academic Population"

Ewha Girls' High School Side "As Part of School Development Plan"
Despite Policy to Maintain Autonomous Private High Schools, 11 Schools to Transition
Possible Support of 2.5 Billion KRW for Conversion to General High Schools
Causes Include Financial Difficulties Due to Decrease in New Students

Ewha Girls' High School (Ewha Womans University High School Affiliated to Ewha Womans University College of Education), an autonomous private high school, is reportedly undergoing the procedure to cancel its autonomous private high school designation. This measure appears to have been taken in response to a decrease in new students due to the declining school-age population, which has led to financial reductions and other challenges.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced on the 8th that Ewha Girls' High School submitted an application to cancel its autonomous private high school designation on May 30 and that the cancellation process is currently underway. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, Ewha Girls' High School applied for the cancellation to improve the educational environment and operate the school stably ahead of the full implementation of the high school credit system next year.

However, it is understood that Ewha Girls' High School is promoting a transition to a general high school reflecting the trend of the declining school-age population. Reviewing the minutes of the Ewha Girls' High School School Operation Committee meeting in April, Principal Lee Yoon-kyu explained, "Although designated as an autonomous private high school in 2010 and operated for 15 years, we have decided to proceed with the transition to a general high school as part of the school's development plan," adding, "We anticipate a further decrease in the school-age population and have proactively decided to apply to operate as an integrated school."

If the transition of Ewha Girls' High School to a general high school is finalized, it will be the 11th voluntary transition case among autonomous private high schools under the jurisdiction of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. Since Dongyang High School in 2012, ten schools including Yongmun High School (2013), Mirim Girls' High School, and Wooshin High School (2016) have completed the transition to general high schools.

Ewha Girls' High School (Ewha Womans University School of Education Affiliated Ewha Geumran High School) / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

Previously, during the Moon Jae-in administration in 2020, the Ministry of Education revised the enforcement decree to uniformly convert autonomous private high schools, foreign language high schools, and international high schools into general high schools starting March 2025. However, earlier this year, the Yoon Suk-yeol administration revised it again to maintain the existing status without conversion to general high schools.

With the full implementation of the high school credit system next year, which will relax internal grading standards, there were analyses suggesting that autonomous private and specialized high schools would benefit. However, some autonomous private high schools have applied for conversion to general high schools to resolve financial difficulties due to the declining school-age population and reduced new student applications. Currently, excluding Ewha Girls' High School, 16 autonomous private high schools are operating nationwide.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education plans to operate a "General High School Transition Council" to support Ewha Girls' High School's transition to a general high school and provide educational activities through a transitional complex curriculum. If an autonomous private high school converts to a general high school, it can receive a total of 2.5 billion KRW in support?1.5 billion KRW from the Ministry of Education and 1 billion KRW from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. This funding will be used for tuition reductions for current students, staff salaries, and curriculum operation costs.

The Seoul-type Integrated School (Ieum School), which Ewha Girls' High School has announced plans to prepare, is a policy promoted by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to address the declining school-age population and the issue of small-sized schools by integrating elementary, middle, and high school buildings for shared use. This initiative also receives support funding for five years under the "Local Education Finance Grant Act." If the facilities are not closed, approximately 1 billion KRW will be provided over five years.