The standards for the writing test for university entrance released yesterday by the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development are going to have the effect of getting rid of much of what is superfluous about writing tests which are essentially bon'gosa, university entrance tests particular to individual universities, something that has been the subject of much controversy. The education ministry has demonstrated strong resolve in the matter, providing concrete examples of test formats as well as plans for reducing quotas and budgetary support.
Perhaps because of the ministry's strong determination, for the time being universities are acting like they are going to accept its standards. There are some schools that have only about a month left before their second round of year-round selection procedures, and some have already informed test takers of what format test questions will be in. When schools are deciding to follow the ministry's demands it is to be understood as having been because they agree with the policy goal of bringing normalcy to secondary education, and not because of the potential for enforcement using punitive measures. Everyone had been watching Seoul National University, but it has announced it will accept the ministry's program in full. It even explained that other than the prohibition on using English in test directions, the ministry's program is in no way different from the goals of its own "integrated curriculum" writing test.
In recent years schools have tried to test applicants' abilities in math problem solving and English reading comprehension using what they referred to as writing tests. They also lessened the importance given to high school grades and the college entrance aptitude test in order to make the writing test be what determined overall entrance scores. The result was that high school students seeking to enter university became increasingly dependent on private tutoring and traditional school education was held in disregard.
The problem is not entirely resolved just because universities are accepting the education ministry's guidelines. The "bon'gosa-style writing tests" have to a large degree been the product of a lack of confidence in the reliability of high school grades and the aptitude test in differentiating between one applicant and the next. It will be hard to eradicate the temptation to go to tests developed by and for each university without doing something about that lack of confidence. It remains possible that schools will maintain their own unique testing criteria using the "in-depth" and oral interview formats. Therefore the education ministry must be diligent in watching to see that schools follow its standards, while doing all it can to increase the quality of high school education and confidence in student evaluation. Naturally, teachers need to cooperate in that endeavor.
The Hankyoreh, 31 August 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Edu Ministry's 'Writing Test' Guidelines |
