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Fairness of College Admissions Officer System Questioned

Fairness of College Admissions Officer System Questioned

Posted September. 16, 2010 15:53,   

한국어

Following the preferential treatment scandal in the hiring of civil servants, the college admissions officers system is also creating heated political debate within the ruling Grand National Party.

While certain party leaders vetoed the revision plan for civil service exams, they are questioning the fairness of the admissions officer system in university admissions.

Rep. Chung Doo-un said Wednesday at the party’s supreme council meeting, “The admissions officer system was introduced to reduce private education costs. But this has just resulted in new types of private education and has the potential to degenerate into a problem between income classes. The system should be implemented gradually.”

Chung will hold a discussion Thursday at the National Assembly on the problems of the system and the College Scholastic Aptitude Test.

Rep. Hong Joon-pyo told The Dong-A Ilbo over the phone, “The admissions officer system has problems of fairness.”

Earlier this month, he said the early decision admissions system is unfair, adding that though rumors are spreading that the children of university professors or employees are being accepted, identifying them is not easy.

Rep. Kwon Young-jin, a member of the parliamentary committee for education, science and technology, said, “The government is pushing forward the admissions officer system too fast. Other members also think the same.”

Ruling party lawmakers are apparently aware of public anger sparked by an education company CEO, who told a former co-worker via Twitter that his wife is a university admissions officer and to take advantage of his network.

They call the admissions officer system not credible, saying it is basically the same as the plan to increase the hiring of civil servants through alternative means. The system cannot be fair since creativity and growth potential should be reflected in admissions in addition to scholastic records.

Fears are also rising that the college admissions officer system`s expansion could produce false admissions. The number of students selected through the system since its trial run in 2008 has ballooned to 37,600 next year from just 4,500 last year.

Education, Science and Technology Minister Lee Ju-ho said the government will investigate in cooperation with the Korean Council for University Education whether the admissions officer system is being fairly operated.

The ruling party said it will wait for the outcome of the investigation and devise countermeasures. The findings could provoke more requests within the party to reexamine the system.



kimkihy@donga.com