By Lee Kyung-min
The regional educational authority has launched a special audit into Hana Academy Seoul (HAS) over allegations that the school manipulated entrance exam results to select more boys.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) said Tuesday that it informed the school of the inspection and asked it to submit related documents. After reviewing the submitted material, the office will send officials to the school for an on-site inspection.
This is the latest alleged irregularity involving the high school that has been under a number of suspicions since its opening in 2010.
HAS, established by Hana Financial Group, opened as an “autonomous” school, a form of elite school allowed greater discretion in selecting its students and curriculum.
During a recent special session of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, a teacher at the school alleged that in the admission exams, more girls than boys got high scores, but the school manipulated test results so that it could maintain an equal gender ratio.
Regarding the allegation, the school said that it has one dormitory building for girls and another for boys, so it needed to maintain the ratio, essentially admitting to the manipulation of exam results.
The teacher also claimed that the school attempted to cover up violence committed by the son of a Cheong Wa Dae official during the administration of former President Lee Myung-bak in 2011.
The boy allegedly hit a classmate, but despite the victim’s report to the school authorities, the school allegedly did not present the case to a disciplinary committee or take any action.
According to school board meeting minutes, HAS also hired some 30 teachers without official recruitment procedures, and changed six non-regular teachers’ status to regular without due process as well.
“We’ll look into the alleged admission-test manipulation, teacher employment procedures, as well as the school violence cover-up,” a SMOE official said.
Depending on the office’s inspection findings, HAS might be deprived of its autonomous school status.
Under the related law, schools involved in corruption regarding admission or school personnel can be deprived of their license.