"Postpone Suneung" vs "Absolutely Not"... Heated Debate Among Examinees Over 'Suneung Postponement' Proposal

On the 14th, the day of the 2020 College Scholastic Ability Test, examinees are waiting for the exam to start at the test site set up at Ewha Girls' Foreign Language High School in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Shinwon Yoon] As the Ministry of Education postponed the nationwide opening of kindergartens and elementary, middle, and high schools by two weeks to April 6 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), it is expected that schedules related to university entrance exams, including the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), will also face disruptions. The Ministry of Education has not been able to provide a definite answer on when the university entrance schedule will be finalized, increasing confusion among students preparing for the CSAT.

On the 17th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye announced an additional postponement of the new semester start date nationwide to April 6. The original nationwide start date was March 2, but due to the COVID-19 situation, it has been delayed by a total of five weeks. To minimize confusion at schools, the Ministry of Education recommended that city and provincial education offices and schools reduce the legally mandated number of school days and allowed proportional reductions in instructional hours (credit units).

However, the problem lies with this year's university entrance schedule. The nationwide first mock exam was already postponed once due to the school opening delay, and education authorities are discussing further postponement measures, with the possibility of delaying the CSAT also being raised.

Regarding this, Park Baek-beom, Vice Minister of Education, appeared on the 'CBS Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 18th and said, "It is difficult to definitively say whether the CSAT will be postponed. The academic calendar may be slightly delayed, but the university entrance schedule will proceed without major issues." He urged, "High school seniors should not react too sensitively to adjustments in the university entrance schedule and should prepare for the CSAT as usual."

However, considering the possibility that the high school semester delay may be prolonged, the university entrance schedule remains uncertain at present, increasing anxiety among high school seniors. While some suggest postponing the CSAT in anticipation of a tight academic calendar, others argue that delaying the CSAT could cause greater confusion and request that it be held as scheduled.

[Image - Jinhaksa]

An online survey conducted by the entrance exam company Jinhaksa from the 6th to the 10th targeting 233 high school seniors showed that 37.8% (88 respondents) believed the CSAT should proceed as scheduled, while 36.1% (84 respondents) thought it should be postponed, showing nearly equal opinions.

On the 5th, a petition titled "Please help postpone this year's CSAT" was posted on the Blue House's public petition board. The petitioner, identifying as a high school senior, lamented, "Mock exams are being postponed, and due to insufficient school days, we have to endure a very busy schedule with midterms and finals," adding, "There are expected disruptions in the academic schedule for students in the crucial first semester of their third year, who need to complete performance assessments and school records (SCHOOL LIFE RECORDS)."

They continued, "This year's third-year students are in a difficult situation, having to take the CSAT as usual under the pilot operation of integrated education and becoming victims of trial and error with blind comprehensive student record screening," and urged, "Can we compete fairly with repeaters when classes are being replaced by online lectures? If the important summer vacation shortens, can third-year students properly prepare for the CSAT, personal statements, and interviews?"

However, on the 15th, an opposing petition titled "Please allow the 2021 CSAT to be held as scheduled in November" was posted on the petition board. Since the Ministry of Education has not yet given a definite answer regarding the university entrance schedule, the petitioner expressed anxiety that the exam might be postponed to December or even next year.

The petitioner wrote, "I apologize for making such a trivial petition to the President, who is dealing with many issues across society due to COVID-19," but added, "If the direction for this year's entrance exams is not decided quickly and accurately, 500,000 examinees including myself will have to spend the year with repeated worry and anxiety. Even if postponed, please ensure it is held within November."

[Source - Cheongwadae National Petition Board]

Concerns are especially greater among students in arts and physical education fields. For example, art university entrance exams are conducted after the CSAT, so if the CSAT is postponed, arts and physical education students will inevitably have less time to prepare for practical exams.

A prospective art university applicant preparing for practical exams said, "Preparation time for practical exams is crucial for arts and physical education students, determining acceptance or rejection," and lamented, "But since we have to compete with repeaters who have practical experience, current students are inevitably at a disadvantage."

Meanwhile, the CSAT has been postponed three times in the past. It was postponed in 2005 due to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit held in Busan, in 2010 due to the Group of Twenty (G20) summit held in Seoul, and in 2017 due to the Pohang earthquake. In 2005 and 2010, postponements were announced in March and February respectively, well in advance, but in 2017, the postponement was announced the day before the CSAT.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.