The annual College Scholastic Ability Test(CSAT) will be held on December 3rd. It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of this test since it will, to a very large degree, determine the future of many students. With the test just around the corner, the Ministry of Education and 17 municipal and provincial Education Offices announced ‘Measures for Facilitating the Implementation of the CSAT in 2021’ on November 5th. Looking over the implementation measures, we immediately notice that there are lots of new precautions, because this year is the first CSAT in the COVID-19 era.
  Among the new precautions, the most noticeable change is ‘Installing Translucent Screens.’ Definite measures were needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 because students have to take the test in one location for 8 hours, so the Ministry of Education and the Education Offices, after considerable deliberation, came up with measures to install translucent screens to prevent droplets from traveling through the air. The translucent screens were going to be made transparent at first, however, the test papers can be reflected on the screens and cheating could occur. Therefore, the Ministry of Education decided to make screens translucent.



  The Ministry of Education expects that installing the translucent screens on every desk can prevent the spread of COVID-19 in examination classes as much as possible, and can create an environmental and psychological atmosphere conducive to concentration while, at the same time, giving students peace of mind in terms of their safety from the virus. However, the translucent screens are being fervently criticized by students.
  I asked two high school students who are preparing for the CSAT why students hate the screens so intensely. Kim Dae-hyun (Baek-seok High School) answered “The CSAT is a very important test that is held only once a year. I feel a great deal of psychological pressure because the test is just around the corner. However, I feel more psychological pressure because of the new precautions like wearing a mask and installing a translucent screen. Actually, taking the test while wearing a mask already makes me stuffy, but it feels much worse because I have to take the test with a translucent screen on top of that! Plus, when I took the mock exam the desk was too small to spread all the test papers, and I think it will create a claustrophobic feeling by restricting the space on the desk if the translucent screen will be installed on top of the desk. I feel so much psychological pressure.”  He is clearly against the translucent screens because he had psychological pressure from limiting the space.
  Also, Ahn Ji-soo (Baek-shin High School) answered “I heard that the screen is not fixed around the desk, but it’s placed only at the front. I won’t be able to concentrate on the CSAT for fear that the screen may topple over. Also, the test will be held in December, so the heater will surely be turned on at that time. With the windows closed and the heaters circulating hot air in the room droplets will travel in every direction rendering the screen useless and I don’t know whether the screens only at the front will be effective in preventing COVID-19. Plus, we don’t have screens in the classroom or the cafeteria at school.  It seems that wearing a mask is pretty efficient since there have been no confirmed cases at school. I wonder if the screens are really needed. I heard that it costs 8 billion won to produce translucent screens, and it seems like a waste of tax money.” We can see that she is against installing the translucent screens because she doesn’t feel the absolute need for the screen, she thinks the screen will disturb her focus on the CSAT, and because of the prohibitive cost.
  A recent poll posted by Cheong Wa Dae National Petition shows that 10 thousand people are of the same opinion as the two students interviewed by this reporter. The translucent screens have become a touchy issue since the Ministry of Education is well aware to the unpopularity of the screen, but is still proceeding with the installation. The vice-minister of education, Park Baek-beom, said “It is the most important to protect students’ health and safety. In the past, 28 students took tests in a classroom, and this year, we reduced the number of students to 24 in order to maintain safe distances. This created enough room to the left and right sides of students, but not to the front and back of students because of the limit of space per classroom. Because of this, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters ordered us to install the translucent screens, and it is difficult to reverse the order.” He added, “Because of the issue of limited space, on the desk, that many students are worried about, we discussed whether to reduce the size of test papers from A3 to B4. However, students need plenty of space on the test papers to solve the math. Eventually we concluded that reducing the size of the papers would be counterproductive, so we decided against it. We all try to make greater efforts for the CSAT, so even if there is a little discomfort I think students should endure it.”

  The Ministry of Education announced that, but installing the translucent screens is still an issue, and the difference of opinion between the Ministry of Education and students has not been resolved. If anything should go wrong the biggest victims would be the students. The Ministry of Education and the Education Offices have to create an environment where students don’t feel uncomfortable, and won’t be harmed. Meanwhile the challenge to find a compromise regarding the installation of translucent screens remains.

By Ahn Min-joo
mj40@cbnu.ac.kr