Elite Schools to Exclude TOEFL in Admission Test
Foreign Language High Schools have decided not to reflect scores of such English tests as TOEFL, TOEIC and TEPS in their admission procedures.
The principals of six foreign language high schools in Seoul announced Wednesday that they reached an agreement to exclude the English tests from their admission screening from 2009.
``Since early January, principals of foreign language schools in Seoul have teamed up with Seoul education office to come up with new measures to reduce predominant private education and bring the crippled public education back on track,'' said Chang Duck-hee, principal of Ewha Girl's Foreign Language High School and head of the principals' union in Seoul. ``A concrete plan of admission for 2009 will be introduced by December at the latest.''
The union said it will increase the ratio of middle school records being reflected on high school admission to 40 percent in 2009 from the current 30 percent. It also agreed to streamline diverse special admission courses in 2009 and consider abolishing the courses by 2010.
On the prep class for overseas study now running at most foreign language high schools, Chang said, ``It is true that many students have a strong desire to study abroad. We plan to support them by offering after-school programs.''