365 Kindergartens, Elementary, Middle, and High Schools Closed... Half Reduction as 'End-of-Term Vacation' Begins

Academic Schedules End One After Another Amid Concerns Over New Coronavirus Spread

On the 4th, a notice board announcing the closure was placed inside the gate of Mokun Elementary School in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. Mokun Elementary School decided to close after it was revealed that one parent had sat next to the 12th confirmed COVID-19 patient at a movie theater in Bucheon. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The number of kindergartens and schools closed due to concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) sharply decreased to about half over the weekend. This is because a considerable number of schools have completed the 2019 academic schedule and started their end-of-term vacation (spring vacation).

According to the Ministry of Education on the 10th, as of 10 a.m. that day, 186 kindergartens, 113 elementary schools, 36 middle schools, 27 high schools, and 3 special schools nationwide were closed. Compared to the total of 647 schools closed on the 7th, the number of closed schools decreased by 43.6% (282 schools).

This is because, entering the second week of February, many schools that had been closed have completed the 2019 academic schedule.

The percentage of schools that completed the 2019 academic schedule increased from 47.7% (9,788 schools) on the 7th to 55.4% (11,380 schools) as of that day, an increase of 7.7 percentage points.

The Ministry of Education sent an official letter last week to frontline schools allowing a reduction in the legally required number of school days. Schools that closed after completing their final academic schedule can have the shortfall in legal school days counted as a reduction.

Looking at the closure status by region, there were 135 schools in Jeonbuk, 118 in Seoul, 43 in Gyeonggi-do, 35 in Incheon, 27 in Gwangju, 5 in Chungnam, and 1 each in Chungbuk and Jeonnam.

Among the 20,524 schools nationwide that day, 41.4% (8,506 schools) conducted normal classes. Additionally, schools closed due to concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus or still on winter vacation accounted for 3.1% (638 schools) of the total.

Students and staff who have returned from Hubei Province, China, within the past two weeks but show no suspicious symptoms and are under voluntary quarantine are currently identified as 6 students and 1 staff member, respectively.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.