Photo/Illutration Test takers wait for exam papers at Kanazawa University in Kanazawa in January. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

An association of high school principals is seeking a one-month postponement of university entrance exams to ensure fairness after the novel coronavirus pandemic seriously disrupted the current academic year.

Representatives of the National Association of Upper Secondary School Principals from all prefectures decided at an online meeting on June 13 to ask the education ministry and university organizations to push back the exam schedule, which is normally held between January and March.

They argued that the exams should be postponed to give all test takers equal and sufficient opportunities to study and make decisions on their futures.

They noted that the length of school closures caused by the novel coronavirus outbreak and the timing of the resumption of classes varied according to the locations of the schools.

In Japan, the academic year usually starts in April, but many schools were shut down in spring on the request of the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections.

The association’s request will cover all university entrance exams. They include: exams that measure applicants’ abilities and motivation and recommendation-based applications, both of which universities will start accepting in autumn; a standardized university admission exam scheduled to take place on Jan. 16 and 17; and general entrance exams, which individual universities are due to begin from February.

The association will submit its written request to the education ministry and national and private university organizations this week and further discuss the matter at a committee meeting on June 17.

At the request of the education ministry, the association surveyed its 5,276 members and found that about 70 percent of respondents believed the standardized university admission exam should be held as scheduled.

However, many members at the June 13 meeting said that special consideration should be given to areas where high schools reopened later than other schools around the country.

“We’ll call for ensuring that test takers can take exams in a fair manner and without worrying (about delays in their study),” said Satoshi Hagiwara, chair of the association. “It’ll be difficult to finish all the university entrance exams within the current academic year if they are put off for one month. We want the ministry to take the lead (in rescheduling the exams).”

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