By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — The first day of the General Scholastic Aptitude Test [大學學測] (GSAT) was marked by frustration for students in Southern Taiwan as the College Entrance Examination Center [大考中心] (CEEC) declined to activate air conditioning systems despite clear skies and rising temperatures.
Under current CEEC regulations, air conditioning is only permitted when the forecast temperature exceeds 28°C (82.4°F). On Saturday morning, temperatures in Kaohsiung hovered between 24°C and 25°C, technically falling below the threshold. However, parents at the Kaohsiung Girls’ Senior High School [高雄女中] testing site complained that direct sunlight and poor ventilation made indoor conditions stifling.
“The regulations are too rigid and fail to account for local conditions,” one parent stated, noting that many students were forced to spend their breaks outdoors just to get fresh air. Reports indicated that windows and fans in some examination rooms remained closed, further trapping heat and potentially affecting student concentration.
Educational experts have previously called for the CEEC to incorporate “apparent temperature,” which accounts for humidity and solar radiation, rather than relying solely on dry-bulb thermometer readings. This is not the first time Southern Taiwan exam sites have faced this issue during winter examinations, where the disparity between the shaded temperature and the heat felt in a closed classroom can be significant.
The GSAT is a critical three-day examination that determines university admissions eligibility for students across Taiwan.
Sources: United Daily News: Southern Exam Sites Swelter as Aircon Stays Off, Liberty Times: GSAT Day 1 Traffic and Weather Updates, Central News Agency: CEEC Reminds Students of New Ruler Regulation
