'Revival of Iljegosa?' Yoon's "Comprehensive Evaluation" Remark Sparks Controversy

Criticism of Ranking and Private Education Intensification Leads to Abolition of Comprehensive Evaluation under Moon Administration
Education Ministry Explains Yoon's Remarks as Meaning Expansion of Autonomous Evaluation
Interpretations Suggest Shift to Comprehensive Evaluation Due to Presidential Pledges and Conservative Education Superintendent Expansion

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the Cabinet meeting held on the morning of the 11th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Yoon Yoon-jin] President Yoon Seok-yeol's mention of "comprehensive academic achievement assessment" has reignited the debate over the reinstatement of the 'Ilje Exam,' which was abolished by the previous administration. The Ministry of Education clarified that it is an expansion of autonomous evaluation, not a comprehensive assessment, but since it is a pledge emphasized by President Yoon since his candidacy, there is speculation that it could shift to a full survey method.

On the 11th, the Ministry of Education reported and finalized the '1st Comprehensive Plan for Guaranteeing Basic Academic Skills (2023?2027)' at the Cabinet meeting. On the same day, President Yoon, after receiving the report from the Ministry of Education, stated, "We will allow all schools that want to participate in the comprehensive academic achievement assessment, which was abolished by the previous government, and create a basic academic skills safety net through customized education for each student," adding, "If we neglect children's education hiding behind criticism of ranking, the future of the Republic of Korea will darken again."

The comprehensive academic achievement assessment mentioned by President Yoon is interpreted as the national-level academic achievement evaluation conducted by a full survey method. The national-level academic achievement evaluation has been conducted by sampling since 1986, except for the latter part of the Kim Young-sam administration. In 2008, with the inauguration of the Lee Myung-bak administration, the full survey method was introduced, also known as the Ilje Exam. Later, in 2017, under the Moon Jae-in administration, it reverted to the sampling method, conducting the evaluation only on 3% of 9th and 11th-grade students.

The basis for implementing the full assessment during the Lee Myung-bak administration was to understand the academic achievement levels of students and individual schools and to support learning deficits. At that time, some parents and teacher organizations responded positively, saying that it could be used as information for school selection by understanding the educational level by region and school before school admission, and that support for students below basic academic skills could be strengthened compared to sampling evaluation. The current government is also promoting the expansion of autonomous evaluation as a countermeasure to the academic decline deepened after COVID-19.

However, criticism has grown that the original purpose was undermined as attention focused on the rankings of national-level academic achievement evaluations by region and school. By requiring all schools nationwide to disclose the proportion of students below the basic level on their websites, it was pointed out that students and schools were driven into a 'ranking' competition. Negative effects were also found, such as forced supplementary classes outside regular lessons, concentrated class hours on evaluated subjects, and the proliferation of private education, which increased students' academic burden.

However, the comprehensive plan announced this time does not mean that the national-level academic achievement evaluation will revert to a full survey. Contrary to President Yoon's remarks, the national-level academic achievement evaluation will be maintained by sampling. The 1st Comprehensive Plan for Guaranteeing Basic Academic Skills includes expanding the target grades for the 'customized academic achievement autonomous evaluation' to grades 3 through 11. This expansion plan is the same as the 'Response Plan Based on the 2021 National-Level Academic Achievement Evaluation Results' announced by the Ministry of Education on June 14.

Deputy Minister of Education Jang Sang-yoon drew a line on the 'Ilje Exam revival' controversy during a briefing on the 11th, saying, "The term 'full assessment' came up as President Yoon emphasized that it was abolished by the previous government." However, some express concerns that since President Yoon pledged to implement "full academic achievement assessment" during his candidacy, the autonomous evaluation could effectively become a full assessment.

The election of many conservative education superintendents favorable to expanding academic achievement evaluation in the recent local elections is also a variable. In fact, in Busan and Gangwon regions, where conservative-leaning superintendents were elected, the policy of full implementation of academic achievement evaluation has been introduced. The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education has set guidelines requiring all elementary, middle, and high schools to apply for and conduct customized academic achievement autonomous evaluations, and the Gangwon Provincial Office of Education is encouraging applications by promoting its own 'Gangwon Student Growth Diagnostic Evaluation' in addition to the autonomous evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Education.

The opposition party and some progressive education circles strongly criticize the expansion of autonomous evaluation as no different from the revival of full assessment. Kang Deuk-gu, a member of the National Assembly's Education Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, held a 'Press Conference Opposing and Urging Withdrawal of Comprehensive Academic Achievement Assessment' on the 11th, pointing out, "President Yoon's announcement is a complete revival of the Ilje Exam. It is an outdated policy far from the new era of education that should draw out each child's latent potential."

The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union stated in a commentary on the same day, "The core of basic academic skills is not diagnosis. The core is a support system that can care for each student individually," and sharply criticized, "The Yoon administration should abandon the complacent idea of guaranteeing basic academic skills through uniform diagnosis and problem-solving education."

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