An error on the school record can be corrected — the amendment procedure and its deadlines
Amending the school record is prohibited as a rule, but with objective evidence it is possible following review by the academic records committee. Procedure, timing and applying after graduation are set out here.
What happens when the school record says something that is not true — attendance logged incorrectly, a misspelt name, an activity recorded that never took place? The school record is a document that cannot be altered as a matter of principle, but amendment is possible if the procedure is followed. Here is what to do and by when.
Why it cannot simply be changed
The school record is an official record used as admissions evidence. If its contents could be freely rewritten, its credibility would collapse. The Ministry of Education directive on the preparation and management of school records therefore prohibits amendment as a rule and permits it only in exceptional cases, through a set procedure.
The key is objective supporting evidence. "I remember it differently" is not enough; there must be material that establishes the fact.
When amendment is accepted
- Simple clerical error — a mistyped name, student number or date
- Attendance error — sickness documentation submitted but logged as unauthorised
- Entries that are untrue — an activity recorded that the student did not take part in
- Omission — a verified award or activity left out
By contrast, "please word it more favourably" is not a ground for amendment. Polishing the phrasing of the subject-specific comments falls outside the scope.
The procedure runs through the academic records committee
- Submit the reason for amendment and the supporting evidence to the class teacher or the subject teacher
- The school puts the matter to the academic records committee
- The committee reviews the material and decides whether to amend
- If amendment is approved, the record is corrected and the reason and basis are entered in the amendment register
In other words, it does not change on one teacher's judgement. That is also why a trail remains in the amendment register.
Timing matters
The easiest moment is before the end-of-year entry deadline. At that stage the teacher responsible can verify and correct it directly. After the deadline it requires committee review, which takes time.
For students in their final year it matters more. The record goes to universities alongside the early admission applications, so checking it before it is sent is what counts. Correcting it afterwards does not change the material already transmitted.
Is it possible after graduation?
Yes. Graduates apply to the school they attended. The difficulty is that evidence becomes harder to obtain as time passes. School records are retained for a long period, so the record itself remains.
If the school has closed, the district office of education holds the records. Enquiries go there.
How to check it yourself first
Parents can view a child's record through the NEIS parent service. Students themselves can obtain it from the school or through the government portal. Checking once at the end of each year is the most reliable prevention.
The items to look at are attendance, awards, hours of creative experiential activity, volunteer hours, and the factual accuracy of the subject-specific comments.
Attendance goes wrong most often
Sickness absence is processed by reference to the date the documentation was submitted — a medical certificate or prescription. Submitting late can leave it logged as unauthorised. Each school sets its own deadline, so check straight after an absence.
Phrasing the request so it moves quickly
"The absence on the Xth is logged as unauthorised. I submitted the medical certificate for that day on the Yth. Please verify and amend." — with the dates and the basis in a single sentence, the school can act on it easily.
How to verify awards and activity hours
Awards are settled by comparing against copies of the certificates. Creative experiential activity hours often fail to match, and these are checked against activity confirmations or the volunteering records system.
Club activities sometimes go missing when a club is renamed or the supervising teacher changes. Comparing against the club membership lists at year end avoids arguments later.
Where the facts are hard to establish
An activity with no witness and no paperwork is difficult to amend. In that situation material created at the time is the only basis — activity photographs, notices, messages exchanged with the supervising teacher.
Which is why collecting evidence as each activity happens is ultimately the strongest protection.
Getting it done without a dispute
An amendment request is not a complaint; it is a matter of making the record accurate. Leave the emotion out, put the dates, the basis and the request in writing, and it usually proceeds smoothly. Raising it verbally alone leaves no trail once the member of staff changes.
Related reading
The item queried most often on the school record is attendance. The distinction between sickness and unauthorised absence is set out in how attendance appears on the school record, and refunds when leaving a private academy are covered in the academy refund rules. Everything on the upper secondary stage is gathered in the high school category.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What if the teacher refuses to amend?
You can request review at school level. If that does not resolve it, a complaint can be filed with the district office of education.
Q. Does an amendment leave a trace?
The reason and basis are entered in the amendment register. The body of the record itself reflects the corrected content.
Q. I found the error after it went to universities.
Amend it through the school, then ask the university admissions office about the procedure for notifying them of the correction.
This is an English translation of an article originally written in Korean. 한국어 원문 보기 ›