People in early 20s seeking CSAT to get vaccine

Students prepare to take a mock college scholastic ability test at Yeouido Girl's High School in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, June 3. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seok

By Bahk Eun-ji

Some people in their early 20s are planning to apply for the state-run college entrance exam to be held in November, not because they want to enter a university, but because the government will give COVID-19 vaccines to test-takers to prevent the infection from spreading among them.

Complicating the issue is the fact that the education authorities have virtually no way of sorting out who is “really” taking the exam for its given purpose and who is not.

Under a vaccination plan devised by the education and health ministries, high school seniors and others who also plan to take the college scholastic ability test (CSAT) are allowed to be vaccinated during the summer vacation between July and August. The measure is aimed at preventing them from becoming infected with COVID-19 ahead of one of the most important academic events in the nation's education system, where hundreds of thousands of applicants will take the examination at indoor test sites.

As they are under the age of 30, test-takers will receive the Pfizer vaccine, which is allowed for this age group. If they get the first shot of the two-dose vaccine during the summer vacation, they will develop immunity before the November CSAT.

The authorities plan to draw up a list of those allowed to get the vaccination based on applicants signing up for a mock CSAT scheduled for Sept. 1. Applications for the mock test will be received between the end of June and the beginning of July.

Some college students have expressed their intention to take the mock exam and CSAT, because people in their 20s are expected to be almost the last group to receive vaccine shots under the government's inoculation program. They are even willing to pay test fees ― 12,000 won ($10.8) for the mock test and an additional 37,000 won for the CSAT.

“I'm thinking about taking the college entrance exam so that I can get a Pfizer vaccine injection. It's a good idea to pay 50,000 won to get vaccinated first,” a person wrote on Everytime, an online community for university students.

Many also complained about the fact that people in their 20s, who have relatively more active social lives, have been pushed to the back of the list of people getting vaccinated.

The Ministry of Education said it is in fact difficult to identify people who are applying for the CSAT simply to get vaccinated.

“It is difficult to force people, who are unlikely to show up at the CSAT sites, not to apply for the exam because we have to guarantee their freedom,” said Cho Hoon-hee, head of the University Admission Policy Department at the education ministry.

“Instead, we are considering ways to encourage only those who are really willing to take the test to apply, but detailed plans have not been decided yet,” Cho said.

Last month, the education ministry requested the health ministry to vaccinate college students and faculty members as early as possible so that universities can have in-person classes in the second half of the year. But nothing has been decided on yet.

“It is too early to announce the specific timing or scope of the inoculation, but we are holding discussions to ensure that as many students and faculty members of universities can be inoculated as quickly as possible,” Cho said.