Slight Increase in Willingness to Participate in Emergency Care... 13.4% in Kindergarten, 2.2% in Elementary School

Overall Participation Rate Remains Low

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] The government has increased the emergency care hours for kindergartens and elementary schools during the delayed school opening period due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), resulting in a slight increase in demand.

On the 12th, the Ministry of Education announced that according to the third emergency care demand survey, a total of 144,506 people wished for emergency care: 13.4% (82,701,2701 children) of all kindergarten children nationwide, 2.2% (60,490 students) of elementary school students, and 5.0% (1,315 students) of special school students.

Compared to the second survey, applications increased by 0.8% for kindergartens, 0.3% for elementary schools, and 0.4% for special schools.

Earlier, on the 6th, the Ministry of Education decided to extend emergency care hours until 7 p.m. and to provide lunch in the form of packed meals. Additionally, care spaces will be disinfected and sanitized regularly to minimize parents' concerns, and staff health will be checked daily to ensure their safety.

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Eun-hye said, "I ask that you do your best so that parents who truly need emergency care can entrust their children with peace of mind."

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