'Safe School Life After Semester Start', Finding Solutions Through Public Deliberation

Anyone in Seoul can participate until April 25... If more than 1,000 people participate, the Mayor will respond

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Ahead of the scheduled reopening of elementary, middle, and high schools on April 6, Seoul City is gathering citizens' opinions on what is needed to ensure safe school life and community safety from the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

Seoul City announced on the 29th that it will collect and publicize citizens' opinions on school reopening and post-COVID school life through the "Seoul Asks" section on the Seoul citizen participation platform "Democracy Seoul (http://democracy.seoul.go.kr)" until March 25.

Any Seoul citizen can participate, and if more than 1,000 people join the discussion, the Mayor of Seoul will respond directly. The city will actively review the raised opinions and provide maximum support, and for necessary matters, it plans to coordinate with the Office of Education to proceed accordingly.

Seoul City expects that this public discussion will allow for the debate of various issues such as teaching methods and infections within schools.

For example, discussions will cover a range of issues from students' personal hygiene like handwashing and mask-wearing, to school life-related matters such as school meals and spacing between students, concerns about after-school group activities, and the spread of school infections to the local community.

Additionally, citizens who participate in the discussion and receive significant support for their proposals will be awarded small prizes.

Jo Mi-sook, Seoul Democracy Officer, said, "Because students must be safe for Seoul to be safe, we expect diverse opinions ranging from the rules students should follow after reopening, to guidance plans that schools and teachers need to consider, and support needed from Seoul City and others." she said.

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