Teachers demand overhaul of student records, citing 'fake listings' and excessive workload

Teachers in South Korea are pushing for a fundamental reform of the student record system, known as the "haksaengbu," arguing that the current requirements place an unmanageable burden on educators and prevent accurate student assessments. The Teachers' Union Federation held a press conference demanding changes, highlighting the "record labor" involved in compiling these documents.

"If we record a student's shortcomings truthfully, we receive complaints like, 'Will you take responsibility if my child can't get into college?'" said Kim Hee-jung, chairwoman of the secondary school teachers' union, at the press conference. "If we only highlight positive aspects, it becomes a fake listing that deviates from the student's actual appearance. If we don't write or write little, we're deemed insincere, and if our writing overlaps with other students, we face scrutiny for copy-pasting." Teachers feel caught in an impossible situation, struggling to balance accuracy with external pressures.

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If we record a student's shortcomings truthfully, we receive complaints like, 'Will you take responsibility if my child can't get into college?' If we only highlight positive aspects, it becomes a fake listing that deviates from the student's actual appearance. If we don't write or write little, we're deemed insincere, and if our writing overlaps with other students, we face scrutiny for copy-pasting.

The controversy was ignited by a recent audit that found teachers at 239 high schools in Seoul had used identical descriptions for over 51 students in the "detailed abilities and special notes" section. Teachers decried this as being branded "copy-paste teachers" for a system that demands impossible levels of documentation. They argue that the system's flaws and failures are being unfairly attributed to individual educators, reflecting a broader issue in Korean education.

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Teachers are branded 'copy-paste teachers' for a system that demands impossible levels of documentation. The system's flaws and failures are being unfairly attributed to individual educators, reflecting a broader issue in Korean education.

The system includes narrative assessments for "behavioral characteristics and overall opinions" by homeroom teachers, the "detailed abilities" section by subject teachers, and "creative experiential activities" for career guidance. The "detailed abilities" section, previously recorded for only a fraction of students, became mandatory for all in 2020. With teachers handling 150-200 students and the shift to semester-based learning under the high school credit system, the volume of required writing has become overwhelming. One science teacher reportedly produced 326,400 characters, equivalent to 1,632 pages of manuscript paper, in a single academic year for student records.

Teachers also report discussing record entries with students beforehand, leading to a blurring of lines between evaluation and editing application materials. The union is advocating for a system where common competencies are recorded via checklists, and narrative descriptions are reserved for truly significant growth and achievements, ensuring teachers can document facts without fear of reprisal.

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Teacher, please include this activity in my record. That expression isn't favored by universities.