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Official English Test Excluded from High School Admissions Process

Official English Test Excluded from High School Admissions Process

Posted October. 10, 2007 07:22,   

한국어

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.



kky@donga.com