TAIPEI: High school seniors this year had lower mathematics scores in their general scholastic tests than in previous years. The tests held island-wide January 29-30, resulted in more than 2,000 students scoring zero in mathematics, according to results released Wednesday by the College Entrance Examination Center.

Of the five subject areas - Chinese, English, mathematics, natural science and social science - English was found to be the weakest among the 140,000 examinees, as 15,523 students scored zero in the Chinese-English and English-Chinese translation section.

The results of the scholastic tests are used by high school graduates to apply for admission to universities and colleges. This year, 112 students achieved a perfect score of 75 in the examination, which comprised 15 levels in five categories.

The following are excerpts from local media coverage of the issue:

China Times: Following the announcement that 2,106 students had scored zero in the mathematics test, even teachers of some cram schools have suggested that the mathematics test method this year was especially challenging. Last year, the number of students who failed to achieve a score in mathematics was 1,093.

The College Entrance Examination Center announced Wednesday that this year 2,059 students had achieved a full score of 15 in mathematics, as compared to 1,745 the previous year.

An analysis by the examination center showed that more than half of the 140,000 students who took the tests failed to attain the average of 5 points in mathematics.

Liberty Times: Traditionally, students with a perfect score of 75 points in the exam are most likely to be recruited by medical schools, law schools, and popular departments such as information technology and electrical engineering at prestigious schools.

However, Kuo Wei-cheng, who achieved a full score of 75 in the tests this year, said Wednesday that his first choice will be the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at National Taiwan University because he wants to become a "doctor to save the earth."

Kuo took many people by surprise, not only because of his choice of major, but also because he is from an average public school in rural Taitung County, rather than a school in the major cities.

United Daily News: As students prepare to apply for admission to universities and colleges, some teachers at local cram schools have noted that Taiwan's most sought-after medical school - NTU - requires a full score of 75; NTU's department of electrical engineering requires 73 points; NTU department of law, 74 points; and the law schools of private universities, at least 50 points.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 02/26/2010 page3)