"Do Exam Takers Not Catch COVID-19?" Anxious 12th Graders Over In-School Infections

All Schools in the Seoul Metropolitan Area Except for 3rd Year High School Students to Hold Remote Classes Until the 11th
"Ensure the Safety of Exam Takers from the Threat of COVID-19," Petition to the Blue House Emerges
Some Raise 'CSAT Postponement' Amid COVID-19 Spread
Admissions Experts Say "No Guarantee Situation Will Improve Even If CSAT Is Postponed"

On the 25th of last month, 100 days before the 2021 College Scholastic Ability Test, third-year students are attending classes at Yale Girls' High School in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "Don't test takers catch COVID-19?", "Less than 100 days until the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)..."

As all schools in the Seoul metropolitan area implement full remote classes to prevent the spread of COVID-19, concerns are growing over the decision to uniquely continue in-person classes for high school seniors (Grade 12). Although it is an unavoidable decision for college entrance exams, critics argue that student health should be prioritized over exams, especially as COVID-19 cases surge mainly in the metropolitan area.

Moreover, due to the impact of COVID-19, more than 100 universities have changed their admission plans for next year, making the entire college entrance schedule unstable and reigniting calls for postponing the CSAT.

All schools in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon have suspended in-person classes and switched to full remote learning until the 11th. This decision was made in advance before the social distancing level was raised to Level 3.

However, high school seniors are excluded from this transition. Since the CSAT is less than 100 days away, in-person attendance and face-to-face classes are deemed unavoidable for college entrance preparations.

Nevertheless, criticism continues regarding the government's measures. Forcing test takers to attend school amid ongoing infections within schools is said to increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

These concerns have intensified as new student and staff infections continue. According to the Ministry of Education's report as of midnight on the 31st of last month, 41 students and 7 staff members were newly confirmed positive over the past weekend (28th-30th), bringing the cumulative total since in-person classes resumed in May to 397 students and 101 staff members, totaling 498 confirmed cases.

On the 18th of last month, a petition titled "Request to Implement Full Remote Classes for Current High School Seniors in the Second Semester" was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board. Photo by Blue House National Petition Board capture.

As a result, test takers worried about COVID-19 infections are demanding that second semester classes be switched to remote learning.

A high school senior posted on an online community for test takers, saying, "Telling us to attend school just because we are seniors, with such a simplistic view, pushes us into even greater hardship during this already difficult time." They added, "The grade calculation for college entrance exams for seniors is already complete, and only some students applying through comprehensive student records need to finish their work."

They continued, "Currently, all seniors are forced to attend face-to-face classes and must spend time in cramped spaces with many friends from 8 a.m. to as late as 10 p.m., even though actual classes are not necessary. This exposes test takers, who should be most carefully protected from COVID-19 risks, to the frontline of infection," emphasizing the danger.

Related petitions are also being posted one after another. In particular, a petition titled "Request for full remote classes for current high school seniors in the second semester," posted on the Blue House National Petition Board on the 18th of last month, had gathered over 11,600 signatures as of 10:30 a.m. on the 1st.

The petitioner stated, "If even one test taker is infected with COVID-19 due to full in-person classes for seniors, it will affect not only the individual but also those around them and the entire school," urging, "Please guarantee complete safety for seniors from the threat of COVID-19" and called for the introduction of remote classes.

On the morning of the 26th of last month, when full remote classes were implemented for all elementary, middle, and high schools in the Seoul metropolitan area except for third-year high school students, third-year students were attending school at Gyeongbok High School in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Some test takers are also expressing concerns about whether this year's CSAT can be properly conducted as COVID-19 spreads again. Especially, the Ministry of Education's mention that the CSAT schedule might change if social distancing is raised to Level 3 has intensified these worries.

Earlier, on the 25th of last month, Education Minister Yoo Eun-hye attended a full session of the National Assembly's Education Committee and said, "The priority is to proceed with the CSAT as scheduled on December 3," but added, "If the Level 3 social distancing situation continues until that time (CSAT), we may need to change the plan."

Regarding this, Kim (19), a test taker attending a high school in Seoul, said, "With less than 100 days left until the CSAT, the atmosphere is chaotic, and I can't concentrate. They say they won't postpone the CSAT, but recent articles suggest it might happen, so I don't know what to do. This situation itself is stressful."

He added, "If they are going to postpone it, I hope they postpone it clearly to next year. If it's just a vague two-week delay, I think it's better to proceed as scheduled."

Experts emphasize that the CSAT schedule should be maintained as planned to minimize confusion among test takers.

Lee Manki, an admissions expert and director at Uway Education Evaluation Research Institute, said, "There is no guarantee that the situation will improve even if the CSAT is postponed. Especially, postponing the CSAT to May next year means switching to a September semester system. This issue is not something to decide lightly," adding, "It is better to conduct the CSAT with thorough quarantine measures." He also added, "Relaxing the minimum CSAT score requirements this year is one good way to reduce the burden on test takers."

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