[ASEAN Column] Why Singapore Did Not Close Schools Despite COVID-19

The novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) does not seem likely to leave us easily. The initial inadequate response has caused tremendous repercussions worldwide. Even in Europe and North America, where the situation had been quiet, the number of confirmed cases and deaths is rapidly increasing, and COVID-19 cases are rising again in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. Amid the confusion of how to respond to the rapid spread, the most notable international news coming from Southeast Asia has been the South Korean government's response measures. Even in a situation where confirmed cases are rapidly increasing, South Korea's adherence to democratic response methods, which other countries refer to, deserves applause.

However, there are certainly lessons South Korea can learn from other countries around the world. Recently, there has been much controversy in South Korea regarding the extension of the school semester. Debates continue endlessly about whether the start of school can be postponed indefinitely, or if online learning should be introduced if postponement is difficult.

Interestingly, several articles cite Singapore, where I live, as a representative case. Singapore rather emphasizes that schools are safe. Since schools are still operating, it is considered acceptable for students to attend in person. South Korea should consider this change in perception. The reason different countries propose different response measures is because their situations differ, but it is not bad to appropriately adapt and apply them.

Singapore’s school year begins every January. COVID-19 struck while the current semester was underway. This situation differs from South Korea’s, where the spread of COVID-19 during the vacation period influences the decision to start school or not. Additionally, most parents in Singapore are dual-income couples, so there is no suitable place to leave children. Moreover, since over 90% of food supplies are imported, school closures could cause other ripple effects that must be considered. Singapore also experienced an increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases earlier than South Korea, followed by a long period of calm. Perhaps because of this, there was no discussion of school closures during the lull. However, as cases have recently surged, school closures have begun to be seriously discussed. Therefore, the claim by some in South Korea that "Singapore schools did not close, so we should proceed with the semester" requires an understanding of the local situation.

Singapore is a city-state sensitive to the large number of people traveling abroad. Because of this, its COVID-19 quarantine rules are considered stricter than those of other countries. If someone violates the mandatory self-quarantine period by going out, they face a fine of 10 million Korean won and six months imprisonment.

This does not mean we should follow such harsh punishments. To share information about each country’s response measures, it is necessary to look at the overall picture rather than one characteristic. After understanding the situation of the respective country, appropriate judgment and response measures suited to our reality are needed. India and Malaysia imitated Singapore’s strong measures by immediately arresting those who go out, but they are suffering from side effects. Sweden has been criticized for its lax policies but retains personal information at the national level. Accordingly, it has sufficient medical systems by region. In Sweden, middle and high schools are either closed or conducting online classes, while kindergartens and elementary schools operate normally. This policy carefully considers the reality that most parents are dual-income couples who cannot care for young children. Considering the situations each country faces, response measures inevitably differ.

Kim Hye-jin, Professor of Political Science and International Studies, National University of Singapore

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