March Basic Academic Skills Assessment for Grades 1 to 12... Will the Academic Achievement Gap Be Proven?

Basic Academic Skills Diagnostic Test to be Conducted in March
Supplementary Learning Provided if Standards Not Met
No Plan for Academic Gap Analysis by Ministry of Education

On the morning of the 2nd, when the first day of school for the 2021 academic year began for elementary, middle, and high schools, students at Gangbit Elementary School in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, are attentively listening to their teacher's words. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] In the new semester, a basic academic skills diagnostic assessment will be conducted nationwide for all students from 1st grade in elementary school to 1st grade in high school.

On the 8th, according to the Ministry of Education, metropolitan and provincial offices of education will conduct the basic academic skills diagnostic assessment for all students except 2nd and 3rd grade high school students in elementary, middle, and high schools within this month according to their individual plans.

The basic academic skills diagnostic assessment is a test conducted at the beginning of the semester to manage students with learning difficulties early and help them maintain interest in education. In the past, national-level academic achievement assessments were conducted either as a census or sampling evaluation targeting specific grade students. Reflecting concerns that the number of students falling below basic academic skills is increasing, since last year, the basic academic skills assessment has been conducted for all students from elementary 1st grade to high school 1st grade.

Lower grades in elementary school are assessed on reading, writing, and arithmetic. For other grades, depending on the choice of each education office and school, tests are conducted in some or all subjects among Korean, Mathematics, English, Social Studies, and Science.

The Ministry of Education has established a 'Basic Academic Skills Diagnostic and Correction System' to create and support questions that can be used in the assessment. Students who do not meet certain criteria in the assessment results will receive management of basic academic skills through individualized supplementary learning at school.

This year's basic academic skills diagnostic assessment is drawing attention as it reflects the impact of academic gaps caused by COVID-19 last year. Due to reduced in-person classes during the pandemic, there were concerns that the number of students lacking basic academic skills would increase, with middle-tier students falling to lower tiers.

Although survey results from the Ministry of Education, education offices, and national research institutes have repeatedly indicated that academic gaps widened due to COVID-19, no empirical research results have yet been published confirming an increase in students falling below basic academic skills due to these gaps.

The Ministry of Education states that since the basic academic skills diagnostic assessment is a tool to support supplementary learning in schools, it does not plan to compile results to analyze COVID-19 academic gaps. The assessment results are only provided to students and their parents.

Another indicator that can gauge academic gaps, the academic achievement assessment, was postponed from June to November last year. The academic achievement assessment was conducted on only 3% of 3rd grade middle school and 2nd grade high school students, and results are expected to be released in May.