High School Graduation Rates Decline After Abolishing Grade Repetition; Ministry of Education States Curriculum Standards Have Not Been Relaxed

(CNA Taipei, June 30) A college admissions advisory platform, "College Access," has compiled statistics showing that since the abolition of grade repetition in high schools, graduation rates have been declining annually. In the 2025 academic year, approximately 10% of students did not receive their diplomas. The Ministry of Education emphasizes that high schools operate on a credit system, allowing students to retake courses they failed. Curriculum standards have not been relaxed.

In the past, senior high school (including vocational schools) students who failed half of their credits in any academic year were forced to repeat the grade. However, starting from the 2014 academic year, the "Regulations for Learning Assessment of Senior High School Students" changed the requirement from "must repeat" to "may repeat," marking the end of mandatory grade repetition.

"College Access" analyzed the number of third-year high school students in the first semester of each academic year and the number of graduates in the same academic year. They found that in the 2012 academic year, before the abolition of grade repetition, the high school graduation rate was 97.4%, with only 6,681 students not graduating. After the abolition of grade repetition in the 2014 academic year, the graduation rate declined at a rate of 0.2 to 0.4 percentage points annually. By the 2025 academic year, the graduation rate had fallen to 90.3%, with 16,510 students not graduating.

Wei Jia-hui, CEO of "College Access," told CNA in an interview that even without a diploma, students can still use certificates of completion and other documents to apply for higher education based on equivalent academic ability. Many high school teachers have found it increasingly difficult to require students to complete their credits, especially in the second semester of the third year, when many students are no longer focused on classes.

Wei Jia-hui stated that many advanced and in-depth courses in the third year of high school, such as calculus, are crucial for transitioning to university. Many universities have noticed a significant decline in student proficiency, forcing them to offer "preparatory courses" for graduating students to complete the material they should have learned in high school during the summer.

This statistical finding has sparked discussions in various high school teacher and parent communities. Many have mentioned that the reforms of the 2019 curriculum guidelines, coupled with increased awareness of student rights, have made students more difficult to manage. Teachers also find it hard to enforce attendance and assignment submission. For students, as long as they can get into college, there are more reasons not to attend classes diligently in high school, affecting their motivation to learn.

The Ministry of Education explained that graduation rate data does not equate to not completing high school. Some students may not obtain their diplomas in a given year due to extended study periods, retaking courses, remedial classes, career exploration, or diverse pathways. They can still return to school to complete credits and obtain their diplomas by extending their graduation year.

The Ministry of Education stated that high schools operate on a credit system, allowing students to retake exams, repeat courses, or take remedial classes for unearned credits, rather than the past "grade repetition" system that required repeating all courses. High school graduation standards have not been relaxed; students must ultimately meet the graduation requirements and conduct evaluation regulations stipulated in the curriculum guidelines to obtain their diplomas.

The Ministry of Education pointed out that issues such as student absenteeism, lack of motivation, or disruption of classroom order involve multiple factors. Students should be responsible for their own learning and attendance, parents should supervise and care for their children, and cooperate with schools to maintain normal learning. Schools will manage attendance, provide guidance and discipline, and offer necessary assistance in accordance with relevant regulations. (Editor: Guan Zhong-wei) 1150630

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