High School Seniors Take Academic Assessment Today, Anticipation for School Attendance Turns into Dissatisfaction and Anxiety

First Mock Exam of the Year... 1,835 Schools Participate
Incheon Area Schools Take Online Test

On the 20th, when in-person classes postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic resumed, third-year students at a high school in Seoul are listening to their homeroom teacher explain about quarantine supplies. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporters Hyunju Lee and Byungdon Yoo] On the 21st, nationwide 12th-grade high school students took the April National Joint Academic Achievement Test organized by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education. All classroom windows were opened, and students wore masks. During the listening test, most schools did not close the windows.

This test is effectively the first mock exam for this year's College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). Last month's March academic evaluation, organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, was conducted remotely, so no nationwide scores were released. The results of this test will be provided starting from the 5th of next month. Among 2,365 schools nationwide, 1,835 applied to take the test; however, students from five districts in Incheon (Michuhol-gu, Jung-gu, Dong-gu, Namdong-gu, Yeonsu-gu), where in-person attendance was suspended the day before, took the test online, so their scores will not be graded.

Meanwhile, with the full resumption of in-person classes starting the day before, not only students and parents but also on-site teachers are expressing dissatisfaction. On the first day of attendance, the 20th, 127 students nationwide showing symptoms of COVID-19 were transported for medical attention.

On the 24th, the day of the National Joint Academic Achievement Test, a high school senior is taking the exam at a home in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul after receiving the test paper from the school. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Park (18), a 12th-grade student in Seoul, said, "In Incheon, since in-person attendance was suspended, students have more time for online classes or private tutoring, so wouldn't one side be at a disadvantage?" Yoon (18), a 12th-grade student in Gyeonggi, said, "I felt like a lab rat. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., even during breaks and bathroom visits, we had to keep our masks on, which was very suffocating." A parent, Lee (49), said, "I have basically given up on this year's college entrance. Considering the special circumstances of 12th graders, fairness in educational opportunities should be considered, but it seems the Ministry of Education is overlooking this."

Students in Incheon also have much to say. Seo (18) said, "If we take the mock exam online, there will inevitably be differences in practical test-taking skills and other aspects," and argued, "Having only Incheon take the test online is actually reverse discrimination."

Even among teachers, there are self-deprecating voices. Some teachers said that wearing masks during class causes the mask to roll into their mouths or makes it hard to breathe, leading to dizziness. A teacher (31) at a high school in Gyeonggi said, "It feels like 12th graders were rushed back to school because of their school records and other reasons," and appealed, "Teachers on site are struggling, having to revise the evaluation plan more than five times." A vice principal at a high school in Seoul said, "Since teachers are very exhausted, we are considering splitting the 50-minute class into 35 minutes in the classroom and 15 minutes of remote lectures," but added, "I worry this might be perceived as teachers trying to avoid teaching."

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