"The desk is small, and the partition makes it uncomfortable to take the CSAT exam"

Confusion Over Mask Guidelines for Examinees

The above photo is not related to the article. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] Confusion surrounding the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), scheduled for December 3, is intensifying. There is dissatisfaction over the announcement to install partitions in front of desks, and controversy is growing as mask-wearing standards have not yet been established.

On the 13th, a petition titled "Opposition to Installing Partitions in Front of Desks on CSAT Day" posted on the Blue House National Petition site garnered 8,276 supporters in about a week. The petitioner pointed out that installing partitions is a waste of tax money, arguing that "the desks are relatively small compared to the size of the test papers, so the space becomes even more cramped, causing inconvenience." They also expressed concerns that since desk sizes may vary by test site, it could lead to unfairness in terms of test concentration.

The idea of installing partitions arose because the number of test takers per classroom was reduced from 28 to 24, allowing sufficient spacing between adjacent students, but the front-to-back spacing did not increase. Park Baek-beom, Vice Minister of Education, appeared on a radio program the day before and said, "The quarantine authorities requested the installation of partitions," adding, "Since there will be various activities such as interviews and essay tests after the CSAT, we think the inconvenience must be endured." This indicated that the plan to install partitions would not be changed.

High school seniors preparing for the 2021 College Scholastic Ability Test are getting ready for the September mock exam on the 16th at Yeouido Girls' High School in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. This mock exam is the last practice test conducted by the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, the organization responsible for the CSAT, before the actual exam. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Confusion is also arising regarding mask-wearing. If the government's quarantine guidelines are strictly applied, only KF94 masks may be allowed on the day of the CSAT. However, considering similar previous exams such as the national civil service examination, there is a possibility that masks below KF94 standard may be permitted. In those exams, mask-wearing was mandatory for test takers, but no specific mask standards were provided. The Ministry of Education stated, "We will consult with experts on detailed mask-related guidelines and announce them as soon as possible."

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