 Topless junior students sing a song to support and wish their seniors’ success in the College Scholastic Ability Test at Chunchon High School Thursday in Gangwon Province. The state-run test was held nationwide. / Yonhap |
By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
For foreigners unfamiliar with Korea, the curious scenes witnessed Thursday across the country when as many as 585,000 high school seniors took the state-sponsored College Scholastic Ability Test would have been puzzling to say the least.
Office-starting hours for public servants and major company workers were pushed back to 10 a.m. Drivers had to refrain from honking their horns when passing by schools and aircraft had to delay landing and take-off during English listening tests.
The nation mobilized all measures to support university hopefuls Thursday. To help transport test takers and secure the safety of exam places, some 130,000 policemen were positioned with 4,660 motorcycles and siren vehicles across the country. The National Emergency Rescuers were also called in to help provide transportation for test takers in their ambulances.
These scenes are unique only to Korea and virtually unheard of outside the country.
From the early morning, test spots were crowded with students’ families, teachers, school juniors and friends wishing them success in exams. Deputy Prime Minister Kim Shin-il also visited one of the test venues and encouraged the exam takers. ``They have long prepared for the test, so I hope they can exert 150 percent of their abilities with a comfortable mind,’’ Kim said.
As exam takers arrive at test venues, supporting students shout and beat drums cheering them with placards saying, ``We will pray for you,’’ ``Best of luck.’’ Also the supporters provided warm tea and snacks for test takers. Some parents accompanied their children and encouraged them to relax.
Many mothers remained outside even after their children entered the test venue, some shedding tears and others praying for their children’s success in the examination. Temples and churches across the nation were crowded with mothers praying for their children.
Some 585,000 high school seniors and graduates sat for the state-run test at 980 test locations. The Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE), the test organizer, said that it set questions that placed emphasis on students’ ability to solve problems rather than their memorizing ability.
``We tried to create questions that would not trouble students who have kept up with their regular school curriculum. We also referred programs by the Educational Broadcasting Service (EBS),’’ said Chung Sung-bong, chief of the test-making committee. He added that the test makers pay special attention to differentiating academic abilites of the test takers so that each university can efficiently select its applicants.
Together with students and their parents who were freed from the test pressure, 315 test writers were also released from their 35-day confinement at a hotel, out of Seoul. They were completely cut off from any outside contact to prevent any possible leakage of the test questions.
kswho@koreatimes.co.kr
