Starting next year, scholastic performance evaluation tests will be expanded to allow the participation of any and all schools who wish to take part.

The Ministry of Education on Tuesday announced a comprehensive plan to help boost students’ academic performance, and pledged to realize a system where the state is responsible for the basic educational ability of all students.

Under the plan, infrastructure will be set up to accommodate the participation of any school in the evaluatory test for students between the elementary third grade and high school sophomore years.

The nationwide tests were abolished under the previous Moon Jae-in administration amid criticism that it caused a hierarchy among schools. Instead, a sampling method was introduced which tested only three percent of students in the third year of middle school and second year of high school.

Those who support reviving a national evaluation cite the benefit of accurately assessing each student's performance level.