hankyoreh

The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development has launched an inspection into several foreign language high schools under allegations that the schools manipulate students' grades to help them gain admission to universities in the United States.

A few foreign language high schools, including Hanyoung Foreign Language High School in Seoul, have reportedly placed higher grades than were actually earned on transcripts sent to U.S. universities. According to the regulations set by the Education Ministry, students' grades of "C'' or "B,'' were recorded as "A" for students wanting to attend college overseas.

In the process, some students' parents at Hanyoung have publicly demanded that the school manipulate their children's records in this manner. It was reported that this practice was rampant in other schools, as well.

Given that Korean students studying in the U.S. have informed their universities their about such practices, U.S. universities are expected to take measures. An association of Korean high school students studying in the United States recently held a signature-collection campaign and discussed ways to inform U.S. universities about such a problem.

Jang Seung-han, 18, vice chairman of the association, said that Korean students would only suffer from such a practice, mentioning the possibility of instating a quota system for selecting students conducted by the U.S. universities.

On a South Korean Internet bulletin board for Korean students studying overseas or wishing to do so, many criticized the grade manipulation practice, as well. A student that had to study without extra tutoring help due to financial problems said that he was shocked at the news that the foreign language high schools have manipulated their students' records. "When I apply to a U.S. university, I am going to write a letter about this,'' he wrote on the site.

The ministry has inspected irregularities at the nation's foreign language high schools in cooperation with educational authorities across the nation.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]