The government and ruling Uri Party on Wednesday agreed to do everything in their power to stop Seoul National University from setting an independent essay test for applicants from 2008, a move they say is an insidious attempt to bring back individual entrance exams and a direct assault on government efforts to standardize public education.
But SNU dug in its heels, saying it failed to see how the essay test constituted a return to the old exam system, banned under a Korean education policy doctrine known as the ¡°Three No¡¯s¡±.
After the government-ruling party meeting, Rep. Jee Byung-moon, the chairman of a Uri Party policy committee, said SNU could shortly expect a warning letter to withdraw the plan. The government and ruling party agreed to look at administrative and financial sanctions if the university refuses, he said. The ruling party also agreed to look at ways of cementing the Three No's -- no separate exams, no contributions-based admissions and no high school ranking -- in law.
Jee said that if SNU goes ahead with the essay tests, it would lead to greater demand for private education, thus fundamentally undermining the government's 2008 university entry plan calling for students to be selected based primarily on the College Scholastic Ability Test and high school transcripts.
SNU President Chung Un-chan took up the gauntlet and vowed there would be no retreat. Chung said the school just wanted to evaluate students based on high school grades along with an essay to help it identify creative students, so it was unfortunate the essay test was seen as a return to separate entrance exam. He said university business should be left to universities, and outside interference would be of no help to either the university or national development.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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