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Science and Technology Colleges to Offer Their Own Math and Science Tests

Science and Technology Colleges to Offer Their Own Math and Science Tests

Posted July. 28, 2004 21:56,   

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From 2008, universities will provide their own entrance examinations on mathematics and science subjects for applicants who are applying for natural science and engineering fields, excluding colleges of medicine, pharmacy, and oriental medicine. In addition, the “Promotion Quota System for Female Scientists,” which includes measures to appoint women as chiefs of government-affiliated research institutions, will be introduced.

President Roh Moo-hyung on July 28 presided over a National Science and Technology Committee session consisting of ministers from 13 ministries, including the Ministry of Science & Technology and the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, along with nine civilian members. At the Cheong Wa Dae meeting, 14 proposals, including the “Prominent Science and Engineering Personnel Recruiting Program,” were examined and approved. The government has decided to extend universities’ autonomous rights to select students in an effort to lead high school students, who are geniuses in science and technology, to science and engineering colleges.

To that end, universities will give their own tests which will examine students’ mathematic and scientific aptitude from the 2008 university entrance. They can provide essays (ruling out answering in writing), in-depth interviews, experiments, and practical examinations. Once the new system comes into effect, universities can completely replace the current Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) with the new test.

In the long run, the government is also considering making use of school records on science and mathematics as basic requirements for university admissions rather than using SAT or separate entrance examinations.

As for fostering female personnel in science and technology, Seoul is planning to introduce a promotion quota, which will allot a certain proportion of positions of government-affiliated research institutions to female scientists.

The Ministry of Science & Technology will examine the introduction of the new system until 2008. As early as next year, it will carry out the system in some organizations by way of showing an example. It will also raise the number of female personnel in government research institutions from 10 percent to 30 percent and offer private research institutions incentives such as providing a tax relief in order to boost them to hire more female personnel.



Ki-Jeong Ko koh@donga.com cosmos@donga.com