College Scholastic Ability Test To Be Divided Into Two Parts

The university entrance examination system, including the test subjects and grade system for the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), and the method of reflecting the school life evaluation, will be totally different from the present method beginning in 2005, the year in which the current senior middle school students are expected to enter the universities.

Moreover, after 2004 in which the 7th education process is to be applied to all the elementary, middle, and high school students, the subjects to study per semester for the middle and high school students will be reduced to 6 or 7 per semester, obliging less burden to the students.

President Kim Dae-Jung received the `plan for the improvement of education environment` from Han Wan-Sang, Minister of Education and Human Resources in Cheong Wa Dae yesterday.

According to this plan, the Ministry of Education and Human Resources (MEHR) will reframe the CSAT by adjusting the subjects, frequency, and the total score-based grade system of the CSAT, because high school students will choose and learn different subjects in the 7th education process.

The MEHR plans to divide the CSAT into two parts: the CSAT I for the mandatory subjects and the CSAT II for the electives. The MEHR decided to introduce the pass/fail system for limited classes, which indicates whether a student has completed the class, instead of the letter grade in the high school. The MEHR decided to consider the completely independent university entrance examination for the long term while only suggesting minimum guidelines. However, examination by each college, grade system of high school, and the university entrance through contribution will be continuously prohibited, whereas the time for the university entrance is anticipated to be independently decided by each university.

Regarding the independent private high schools, the MEHR decided to change the law to operate 30 model schools after selecting them by October this year.

It is anticipated that the tuition for national universities will rise since the MEHR has decided to allow the national universities to independently administer the number of students, personnel, and budget, including the raise of the tuition within the range of 20 percent per year. The MEHR also decided to bring internationally prominent foreign graduate schools to Korea and run a pilot program beginning September next year.

By investing 4.3787 trillion won by 2004, the MEHR, in consultation with the related ministries, decided to lower the class size to 35 students, to increase 23,600 more teachers, to expand the classrooms, to increase the national university professors, and to promote the general studies.

Meanwhile, President Kim said, ``A plan for the complete independence of universities to select students should be actively considered. A proper measure for the transference of teachers who have been separated from their families for a long time should be sought out.``

ecolee@donga.com