Yoo Eun-hye "Ministry of Education Operates Emergency Situation Room... Also Runs Dedicated Ambulance Team" (Update)

Principle of Daily Attendance for 12th Graders, Other Grades Attend at Least Once a Week
All Fire Stations Nationwide to Dispatch COVID-19 Dedicated Ambulance Teams Immediately

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye is giving a speech at the New Semester Opening Preparation Task Force meeting on the 19th. (Provided by the Ministry of Education)

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye stated on the 19th, "Tomorrow (the 20th), in-person classes for high school seniors will begin," adding, "The Ministry of Education will operate an emergency situation room starting today (the 19th) and switch to an emergency work system."

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo presided over the New Semester Opening Preparation Task Force meeting held at the Government Complex Sejong on the same day, saying, "(The 20th) is a meaningful day marking the start of in-person attendance postponed due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but we must not let our guard down."

The meeting was initially scheduled to be chaired by Deputy Minister of Education Park Baek-beom but was elevated to be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Yoo one day before the high school seniors' return to school.

In her opening remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo explained the background of the decision to resume in-person classes, saying, "We made the decision to resume in-person classes with great difficulty and under challenging circumstances while the risk of COVID-19 has not completely disappeared," and "We cannot indefinitely postpone the advancement of 450,000 high school seniors to higher education or their entry into the workforce amid an uncertain end to the COVID-19 situation and discussions of a possible autumn resurgence."

She also urged, "Education offices nationwide should enable 24-hour real-time response," and added, "The government will closely monitor the COVID-19 situation and promptly take additional measures if it deems in-person classes difficult."

To reduce student density, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo stated, "For high school seniors, daily attendance is the principle, but overcrowded classes will actively utilize special classrooms and various methods such as dividing classes will be employed," and "For grades other than high school seniors, attendance will be minimized through methods such as alternating weeks, alternating days, or attending at least once a week."

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo announced that if a student shows suspected COVID-19 symptoms or tests positive within a school, the school, education office, and Ministry of Education will respond immediately according to the manual, and a dedicated COVID-19 ambulance team from local fire stations nationwide will promptly dispatch to support patient transport through a 'one-stop support service.'

Furthermore, she urged schools, parents, and students to strictly follow seven rules before attending school: submitting a health self-diagnosis, refraining from attending school when feeling unwell, wiping desks upon arrival, ventilating classrooms by opening windows, wearing masks at all times except during meals, washing hands for 30 seconds, and immediately reporting any abnormal symptoms to the school nurse or teachers.

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo concluded, "We understand well that (resuming in-person classes) is not an easy path, but it is a process we must go through at least once amid the uncertain end of COVID-19," adding, "The Ministry of Education and related government departments will do their best and promptly address any shortcomings as we respond."

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