Support for COVID-19 Positive and Quarantined Examinees to Take CSAT in Separate Exam Rooms

Discussion on Regional Balanced New Deal Progress at Policy Council between Relevant Ministries and Local Governments

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Central and local governments will come together to discuss support measures for COVID-19 confirmed and quarantined test-takers ahead of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) on the 3rd of next month, and to review the progress of the regional balanced New Deal public contest projects.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 27th that it will hold the 2020 "8th Central-Local Policy Council" as a non-face-to-face video conference. This meeting will be attended by related ministries including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Environment, and Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as well as deputy heads of 17 metropolitan cities and provinces, focusing on key current issues such as support for confirmed and quarantined test-takers for the CSAT, the fine dust seasonal management system, and regional balanced New Deal.

First, the Ministry of Education plans to actively request cooperation from local governments nationwide to provide COVID-19 confirmed and quarantined test-takers with the opportunity to take the CSAT. Local government health centers will expand COVID-19 testing for test-takers and share related information with metropolitan and provincial offices of education, operating a special situation management system through collaboration among local governments, education offices, and related agencies.

Test-takers confirmed positive for COVID-19 will take the CSAT at designated hospitals (living treatment centers). Also, test-takers showing symptoms such as fever on the exam day will take the test in separate rooms within general test sites, and those under self-quarantine will also take the CSAT at separately prepared test sites as a principle.

At the meeting, the Ministry of Environment will request participation from related ministries and local governments in preparation for the implementation of the "2nd Fine Dust Seasonal Management System" from December to March, a period of frequent high fine dust concentration, including ▲establishment of detailed implementation plans by city and province ▲submission of performance reports ▲public relations activities, and will urge thorough implementation of strengthened response measures.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety will hold the 2nd subcommittee meeting following the launch of the regional balanced New Deal subcommittee last month, the formation of regional balanced New Deal promotion teams in 17 metropolitan cities and provinces, and the establishment of dedicated departments. It will investigate the status of public contest projects such as the Digital New Deal and Green New Deal, share them with local governments, and encourage local governments to discover projects suited to their regional characteristics and actively participate in public contests.

Minister Jin Young of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said, "In the situation where COVID-19 is spreading, I ask related ministries and local governments to thoroughly manage quarantine so that test-takers can safely take the CSAT," and added, "Through the regional balanced New Deal subcommittee meeting, we will discover tasks for system improvement and fully support local governments in transforming the regional economy into an eco-friendly and low-carbon economy."

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