[Report] 'Suneung Liberation' Examinees Say "We Need to Prepare for Nonsul"... A Sigh of Relief from Corona

"Students relieved after 'Corona Suneung' ends"
Some schools delay students' return home... Parents anxious
Quarantine test sites deserted, creating unfamiliar scenes

[Asia Economy Reporters Byungdon Yoo, Byeongseon Gong, Taemin Ryu, Suhwan Kim] At 4 p.m. on the 3rd, in front of the main gate of Ewha Girls' Foreign Language High School in Jung-gu, Seoul, parents waiting for their children who were taking the exam flocked to a nearby convenience store to escape the biting wind just before the exam ended. Some parents anxiously spent time reading articles about this year’s CSAT difficulty level on their smartphones. Song Myeonghee (51, Yongsan-gu, Seoul), a parent, said, “Due to the impact of COVID-19, the exam was postponed, and my child felt a lot of pressure,” adding, “Since my child is preparing for college entrance through regular admissions, it was heartbreaking to see them struggle.”

The 2021 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) was simultaneously held at 1,383 test centers across 86 test districts nationwide on this day. Approximately 490,000 test-takers, facing the first-ever December CSAT due to the COVID-19 pandemic, took the exam relatively calmly.

Test-takers wore masks and took the exam in unfamiliar environments such as desk partitions. Some even took the CSAT in hospitals and residential treatment centers instead of schools. Despite the unfamiliar settings, the expressions of the students and their parents after the exam were no different from previous years. The students looked visibly relieved, and smiles continuously bloomed on the parents’ faces.

◆ “Relieved” ? Carefree Test-Takers... Some Delays Leaving Test Sites = Around 5 p.m. at Gaepo High School in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, confusion arose among parents as students did not come out even 30 minutes after the exam ended. Some parents protested to the school, asking why the students had not come out, causing a brief commotion. However, the school dismissed the students around 5:30 p.m., one hour after the exam ended, without any separate notice or explanation.

Finally, the students who came out of the school gate wore relieved expressions. Kim Moonjung (18, 3rd year at Dongduk Girls' High School), who finished the exam, said, “It was frustrating to wait without knowing why after the exam ended, but I feel very relieved now that it’s over,” smiling, “Today, I plan to eat something delicious with my family and rest.”

On the afternoon of the 3rd, when the 2021 College Scholastic Ability Test was held, examinees who finished the exam are heading home from Gaepo High School in Seoul.

Although the CSAT was over, some students were still in the midst of their college entrance process. Park Suhyun (18, 3rd year at Dongduk Girls' High School) said, “I want to have fun now that the exam is over, but I still have the essay test left,” adding, “I will rest comfortably at home today but plan to prepare for the essay test going forward.” At the same time, Shin Hanbin (19), met in front of Ewha Girls' Foreign Language High School in Jung-gu, said, “I plan to meet friends near my house for a light dinner,” but also added, “I still have early admissions, essay tests, and interviews left, so I will push myself until the very end.”

◆ “More Concerned About Safety Than Scores”... Parents’ Anxious Hearts = In front of Gaepo High School, parents Chae Hyunsook (57, Seocho-gu, Seoul) and Park Miyoung (57, Seocho-gu, Seoul) stayed all day without leaving even after their children entered the test site. This was due to concerns about infection or sudden fever at the test site amid daily new COVID-19 cases hovering around 500.

Chae said, “My children were anxious about whether they could take the exam whenever they saw COVID-19 news while preparing for the CSAT,” adding, “I was heartbroken seeing them worry more about whether they would develop a fever and have to get tested or confirmed for COVID-19 than about the difficulty of the exam questions or making mistakes.” Park said, “Parents also spent a year anxiously, unable to sleep well last night,” adding, “Regardless of the CSAT results, I just hope the children took the exam safely.”

Kim Eunsook, who was waiting for her child in front of Ewha Girls' High School, said, “My daughter was very stressed because she couldn’t go to school much or meet friends this year,” adding, “I haven’t made plans after the CSAT, but I will definitely support my child’s mood.” However, Kim said that since COVID-19 prevention is important, “I plan to stay home in the evening.”

◆ Separate Exams for Self-Quarantined Students... Unfamiliar Scenes at Test Sites = At the same time, in front of Kyungseong High School in Mapo-gu, Seoul, the atmosphere was quiet even after the CSAT ended, unlike other places. Kyungseong High School served as a separate test site for self-quarantined students. Only a banner reading “Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education 12th Test District, Test Site 22” indicated it was a CSAT test site.

Only 10 students took the exam at Kyungseong High School that day. To enforce quarantine measures, only students and their guardians were allowed to enter the school by car, strictly controlling contact with outsiders and families. Because of this, the CSAT was conducted in a very quiet and solemn atmosphere, unlike other test sites. There were no parents pacing in front of the gate waiting for their children, nor students leaving the gate with bright expressions after finishing the exam.

In this way, self-quarantined students took the CSAT at 22 separate test sites in Seoul. COVID-19 confirmed patients also took the exam separately at two locations: Seoul Medical Center and Namsan Youth Hostel (residential treatment center).