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What is the Free Semester System? And what is a Gap Year?

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Many people are curious about the Free Semester System because it is different from the system we have been practicing!
So what exactly is the Free Semester System?

Free Semester System
A system that provides students with a chance to experience career paths for one semester and takes career-related exams instead of general academic exams
The Free Semester System is a system that benchmarks the ‘Transition Year System’ that has been systematically implemented by the Irish Ministry of Education for a long time and emphasizes the importance of career exploration, practice, and experience. The gap year system is already well known in the US, Australia, and Japan.

As the fact that the Free Semester System for Middle Schools is being implemented became known, information about career and job experience education in various European countries, such as the Irish Transition Year System, Denmark’s after-school programs, and Sweden’s career experience learning, is also being released.

In 1974, Ireland introduced the Transition Year System from the third year of middle school to the first year of high school, allowing students to learn and experience various things during this period. At first, it was implemented only in a small number of schools, but after 10 years, it was expanded to 20 schools, and now, after nearly 40 years, 75% of schools nationwide are participating.

In fact, the Gap Year, which is the beginning of the transition year system that the Free Semester System benchmarks, is recommended as a culture that can improve the academic and work efficiency of students, working adults, and office workers around the world, while also correcting social problems.
Regardless of the name, such as the Free Semester System, Transition Year System, or Gap Year, the importance of that time is very high, and its necessity is recognized worldwide.

The Gap Year system is a system that started in the UK before the Irish Transition Year System. It refers to a period of time during which students travel, volunteer, and intern for one year to find their dreams and direction in life before entering university.
The Gap Year is currently being operated in advanced countries such as Europe, the US, Australia, and New Zealand, and was introduced in Japan last year.

The gap year system has reduced the college dropout rate, and students who participated in the gap year have been reported to have higher grades and higher life satisfaction than students who did not. Isn’t this a system that Korean students who are tired of accumulating meaningless qualifications and endless college entrance exam competition really need?

This year, the government announced through the ‘Open Education Major Policy Report’ that it will introduce the free semester system to all middle schools nationwide by 2016. It plans to designate 37 research universities and operate them in the first half of this year. It will be implemented starting in the second semester, and will be gradually expanded to target schools next year, and will be fully introduced starting in 2016.

Why are there different opinions about the key pledge of the free semester system being introduced this time?

It is because it is a system that takes a different direction from the existing one.
The government, which raised issues with education centered on entrance exams or exams, emphasized that it is important to give children the opportunity to explore their career paths and aptitudes.

The intention is to leave the existing career paths and aptitudes behind and break away from the framework of the system centered on exams and entrance exams.

The issues raised by public opinion are:

Is this a system that can really take root in Korean society?
Is it the right time for middle school students to introduce the free semester system?
Rather, it could hinder their studies, and many opinions are being raised.

There is also a lot of interest in whether the free semester system can be implemented well, leaving these issues behind.
In particular, in Korea, where educational enthusiasm is high, parents have many expectations and concerns about the new education system being implemented.

Future and Dreams
In fact, we all know the necessity and importance of career and job experience. But isn’t it part of the college entrance exam competition that we move forward while leaving the basics behind due to the current urgency and time burden compared to the necessity?

Regardless of the success or failure of the system, I hope that all Korean citizens will put into practice the importance of their career path and dreams that they already know, and recognize that they are necessary, not burdensome, and that the world that our country’s young people dream of will become :)!
We support your dreams!