The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has set up a meeting to consider the future of the new test after the introduction of English private exams, mathematics, and descriptive questions in Japanese was postponed in the common test for university admission starting in 2020.Eighteen academic experts and representatives of educational organizations will participate, chaired by the former president of Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yoshinao Mishima.
According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the items to be considered include how to evaluate English 4 skills, how to give descriptive questions, consideration for taking the exam with confidence regardless of the financial situation, residential area, and the presence or absence of disabilities.Hiroki Yamamoto, President of the National Center for University Entrance Examinations, will join the conference as an observer.Private testers such as Benesse Holdings have not joined.
As a general rule, the meeting will be held in a public place, and the policy is to verify the circumstances of deciding to utilize private examinations.The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology says that it has selected academic experts by gathering a wide range of pros and cons to the reform of university entrance examinations so far.
The Common Test for University Admissions was planned to start with the English private exam and the introduction of descriptive questions in mathematics and Japanese as the two pillars of reform. Opposition voices were raised one after another, asking whether the ceremony problem could be scored fairly in the private sector.
In addition, opposition parties and others questioned the relationship between the Benesse Group, which won the scoring of the descriptive test at an English private tester, and the ruling party and the Ministry of Education, and there was a debate in the Diet.
