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Cheong Wa Dae, the government, ruling party and some civic organizations are baying at the gates of Seoul National University over its plans to introduce its own in-depth essay writing test for applicants in 2008.
President Roh Moo-hyun launched a frontal assault on the university in a meeting with newspaper editors on Thursday. "The government will not allow public high school education to be ruined just so some universities can enjoy the privilege to select top-class students,¡± he said. "The position of universities is important in university entrance exams, but it cannot be allowed to ruin public high school education with a frenzy of extra-curricular cramming that kills children."
The ruling Uri Party continued its crusade against SNU after earlier proposing to cement in law the policy doctrine known as the ¡°Three No's¡± -- no contribution-based admissions, no separate entrance exams and no high school ranking. Now it wants a law forcing universities to set up U.S.-style medical graduate schools, which SNU is refusing to do. Chung Bong-ju, a member of the parliamentary education committee, called on the SNU president to resign. "Public education can thrive only if President Chung Un-chan resigns,¡± the lawmaker said. "SNU must renounce privileges it has enjoyed for 50 years."
The main opposition Grand National Party, meanwhile, slammed attacks on the university. "This is no time to enslave SNU with the egotism of standardization,¡± the party said. ¡°Universities must be given autonomy to screen applicants."
Some civic groups in a meeting with Education Minister Kim Jin-pyo on Thursday said the essay test was ¡°in effect the restoration of separate entrance examinations¡± and demanded its withdrawal.
"It's undesirable to increase reliance on private education by raising the weight of essays," Kim said, while his deputy Seo Nam-soo announced specific guidelines by the end of August that will ¡°clearly distinguish essay-writing tests from separate university entrance examinations."
SNU denies it is trying to bring in entrance exams by the back door. The essay test ¡°is not designed to benefit graduates of specialized high schools or to restore separate entrance exams," said senior admissions official Lee Jong-sup. "Some politicians are confusing the people based on wrong information although they know nothing of substance about the essay-writing test. This has to stop.¡±
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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