"Exam is just around the corner..." COVID-19 Threatens Suneung... Students Feel 'Anxiety'

Government "Raise Social Distancing to Level 1.5 to Curb Community Spread and Protect College Entrance Exam"
Exam Takers Express Anxiety Amid Surge in COVID-19 Cases
Experts "Students Should Also Pay Attention to Personal Hygiene"

On September 2nd, senior students at Gyeongsan Girls' High School in Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk, are taking a mock CSAT exam. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "I try to be careful, but you never know who will get infected and when, so it's anxiety-inducing.", "Please let me enter the CSAT venue safely."

With the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) just two weeks away and daily COVID-19 cases exceeding 200, the spread of the virus is intensifying, increasing anxiety among test-takers.

They are struggling to adapt to the changed testing environment due to the COVID-19 situation, and with the rapid rise in confirmed cases, they express feeling "at a loss about how to take the exam." Experts urge strict quarantine measures to ensure that students' schedules are not disrupted.

As new COVID-19 cases surged recently, the government raised social distancing in the metropolitan area from level 1 to 1.5.

Park Neung-hoo, First Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), stated at a briefing held at the Government Seoul Office on the 17th, "The goal of raising the level to 1.5 is to block community transmission in the metropolitan area and Gangwon Province and to reverse the current trend."

Deputy Head Park emphasized, "It is important to reverse the spreading trend without escalating to level 2, which could significantly impact the livelihood economy," adding, "Another purpose is to create a safe testing environment for students in preparation for the CSAT scheduled two weeks from now."

Due to this measure, full in-person attendance is no longer possible except for some small schools. Under level 1, in-person classes could be adjusted based on local and school conditions with a density principle of two-thirds or less, but at level 1.5, the two-thirds rule must be strictly followed.

Academies and private tutoring centers are also limited to one person per 4㎡ of facility area, and reading rooms and study cafes must maintain distancing between seats or install partitions.

Soldiers belonging to the 50th Army Division conducting disinfection at Daegu High School on May 28 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Given the situation, test-takers are expressing considerable anxiety. Kim (18), a high school student in Seoul, said, "Since confirmed cases keep appearing, I feel anxious. It's not just about me being careful; that's why I'm more worried," adding, "There are almost two weeks left until the CSAT, but with the rising COVID-19 cases, I can't concentrate well. Also, if someone coughs at the exam site, I think it will make me nervous."

Voices expressing concern about the spread of COVID-19 are also emerging in various admissions communities. Test-takers responded with comments such as, "COVID-19 is spreading again now; is it okay to take the CSAT?", "I know this is the time to invest in final studies, but it's hard to focus," and "I need to manage my condition now, but given the situation, I feel anxious."

The changed testing environment due to COVID-19 is also putting pressure on test-takers. The Ministry of Education reduced the maximum number of examinees per test room from 28 to 24 to disperse students, and installed full partitions in front of desks to prevent droplet spread.

Additionally, all test-takers must wear masks until the exam is finished. Especially, those with symptoms such as coughing or fever on the CSAT day must take the exam in a separate venue wearing a KF80 or higher-grade health mask. Although these are quarantine measures, test-takers may perceive them as distractions.

Consequently, parents of test-takers are also worried. One parent said on a mom caf?, "Since confirmed cases keep appearing, the anxiety among test-takers seems to be increasing," and added, "I am praying that my child can safely enter the CSAT venue."

They continued, "If masks are not properly worn during the exam, it is considered cheating, so children have to wear masks all day while taking the test, and partitions are installed on those narrow desks. I feel sorry for children taking exams under such worst conditions," and added, "Let's work hard on personal quarantine for the sake of the children."

Experts emphasize that to reduce test-takers' anxiety, quarantine efforts must be strengthened, and students must also follow quarantine guidelines well on the CSAT day.

Professor Kim Woo-joo of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital said, "Since in-person classes have not been properly conducted due to COVID-19 and the CSAT has been postponed several times, an environment where all test-takers can take the exam with peace of mind should be provided," adding, "To safely proceed with the scheduled exam, students should wear masks and follow personal quarantine rules to take the CSAT safely."

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