The Ministry of Education made a wearing mask mandatory in the guidelines of prevention of coronavirus in the test site on October 16. By making it mandatory, they also announced that they would install screen fences respectively.

▲ They are trying to adapt to the real test environment.

The things that would change compared to last year are wearing masks and installing screen fences. Students are worried that they would be affected by them. As they have been practiced without masks and screen fences for at least two years, they should be accustomed to the new environment. They are complaining about the inconvenience that the size of the desk is originally small since the size of the test papers is big. Other opinions are that they would be inconvenient when reading long writings especially taking the Korean language portion of the exam. Handing over papers, putting pens and correction tapes would be parts of inconvenience that students would face during the test. Related to the controversies, the Ministry of Education reported that they would make test papers pass at the bottom of the screen fences, and they allowed the test-takers to spread out on both sides and to fold and use.

▲ Especially, while having Korean language portion of the exam, many students will suffer from inconvenience.

According to the survey of test-takers, about 26.2 percent of them replied that they don’t have to do with installing screen fences. Besides, some test-takers said that installing it would be much better. The first reason is that they cannot be interrupted by others’ movements. As students have suffered from others’ movements like trembling legs or stretching so far, it can make students more concentrate on their tests. The second one is that they are more comfortable since the front of the desk is blocked. The last one is that they cannot be bothered by superintendents to keep coming and going.

▲ Advantages and disadvantages that students say.

Only over 30 days are left until the day of the national college entrance exam. Since the environment was changed compared to last year, test-takers are adapting to the newly changed environment. Some of them buy screen fences not to be embarrassed during the test. To control the condition for the test, the most important thing is not to have diseases. To make it come true, test-takers must care for their health.

October 31, 2020

by Lee Dowon