Korea: Official English Test Excluded from High School Admissions Process

[Harold Schiffman]

Official English Test Excluded from High School Admissions Process



OCTOBER 10, 2007 07:22


Principals of six foreign language high schools held a press
conference in the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) on
October 9 and announced their 2009 admission policy proposals. The six
foreign language schools in Seoul have decided not to require scores
of official English tests, such as the Test of English for
International Communication (TOEIC), Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL) and Test of English Proficiency developed by Seoul
University (TEPS), starting in 2009 when current second graders in
middle school will enter high school.


They have also agreed to gradually increase the proportion of school
grades from the current 30 percent to 40 percent. They have decided to
drop special admissions starting in 2010, changing the overall
admission policies. They said, "Test scores from official English
tests will be excluded from admissions policies to ease the overheated
zeal for higher test scores." The SMOE excluded TOEFL scores from 2009
admission policies in April due to the increasing number of
applicants. The newly announced admission proposals include
strengthening of English listening test and interview criteria.


The schools may use a new English test to be adopted in 2010 by the
Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, or they could
put in place a joint test among the six schools, to be decided on by
year's end after consulting with the SMOE.

http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=040000&biid=2007101070628

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