Taiwan's most controversial school exam will enter the history books today, after 120,816 junior high school student across the island put their pens down to mark the end of the two-day Senior High School Entrance Examination (SHSEE).
From next year, the SHSEE -- the only avenue for students to receive a senior high school education since 1958 -- will be replaced by a new admission scheme that does away with the need for exams.
The scrapping of the SHSEE is vindication for critics who have long criticized the exam for placing too much pressure on young students.
The Ministry of Education's (MOE) 1998 decision to scrap the exam was driven by a push for education reform.
Under the new scheme, students will be admitted to senior high school based upon school recommendations and their grades in the Basic Competency Tests.
The final SHSEE kicked off yesterday with officials estimating that more than 60,000 junior high school students -- less than half of all students who sat the exam -- were expected to pass.
An official from the Ministry of Education said that students with a mental or physical disability, or from an Aboriginal background, or residing in the disaster areas hit by last year's 921 earthquake, will receive special credit in this year's exam.
The subjects tested yesterday -- Chinese and English in the morning as well as natural sciences in the afternoon ? went off without a hitch.
The Chinese and English exams focussed on current affairs, with topics including Taipei's new garbage recycling program, the impact of the 921 earthquake, and the Mass Rapid Transit System.
The English exam was said to be the one of the most difficult ever produced.
The SHSEE committee announced last night that approaching Typhoon Kai-Tak, may force the rescheduling of today's exam in some areas.
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