Fear rising among test-takers, parents amid COVID-19 resurgence

Dec 01, 2020, 09:12 am

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Desks are installed with plastic dividers in a high school in the city of Busan, on Nov. 30, 2020./ Source: Yonhap

AsiaToday reporter Choi Hyun-min

As the country’s college entrance exam is only three days away, concerns are rising among test-takers and parents over a growing number of test-takers confirmed with the virus.

Parents with children who are taking the exam are making efforts to prevent possible virus infections right before the test day, the biggest academic event of the year. The government is also making efforts to make sure that test-takers take the exam safely by preparing separate testing sites for students confirmed to have the virus, those in self-quarantine and those exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms on test day.

According to health authorities, a total of 12 test-takers have tested positive for COVID-19 in Seoul alone as of Monday, and 57 others have been under home quarantine in the region. Over the past week, there was a series of virus cases among students at large cram schools in Daechi-dong and Mok-dong, two major districts where private institutes are gathered in Seoul. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has designated two testing sites allowing those confirmed to have the virus to take the exam. Those in self-quarantine will be able to take the test at 22 designated testing sites.

There are confirmed cases among test-takers not only in Seoul but also in other parts of the country. Last Friday, 296 high school students in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, underwent COVID-19 tests, after one of the students was confirmed to have been infected with the coronavirus. On the same day, emergency diagnostic tests were also conducted on students and teachers at a high school in Sejong, central South Korea, after one of the students has been confirmed.

Although all high school classes switched to online in the week in order to minimize transmission risks among students, some cram schools are still holding face-to-face classes with the country reporting 400-5000 new cases every day. As a result, many parents are refraining from holding in-person meetings worried over possible virus infections with only few days ahead of the national college entrance exam.

“My son goes out early in the morning and returns late at night, and it is difficult to see his face. But I try to keep social distancing at home because I’m worried that I could get infected without showing symptoms,” said a mother of a high school graduate living in Ilsan. “I’m suspending my usual gatherings these days,” she added.

Last Thursday, Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae asked citizens to temporarily suspend their usual gatherings ahead of the nationwide college entrance exam. “We recommend all members of the families of test-takers to keep social distancing at home during the remaining week and advise the test-takers not to visit institutes and multiuse facilities,” the minister said. “I earnestly ask all South Korean people to suspend their usual gatherings for a week with the hearts of parents with children who are taking the exam in mind.”

On test day, mask-wearing will be mandatory for test-takers throughout the exam. Plastic dividers will be installed on each desk of testing rooms to ensure distancing among test-takers.

#COVID-19 #test-takers #national college entrance exam