"Don't Worry About School-Age Children" ... Gyeongbuk Provincial Office of Education Operates Play-Based Semester System

This Year Focuses on Contactless Games Considering 'COVID-19'

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] The Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education announced on the 22nd that it will operate a 'Play-based Semester System' during the first semester of first grade in elementary school to ensure enjoyable school life for children starting school.

First implemented nationwide in 2019, the 'Play-based Semester System' is a program that intensively operates easy and fun play-centered classes linked with the play-centered kindergarten Nuri curriculum.

This year, due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), unprecedented online school openings were held, followed by remote classes, and the first in-person classes took place on May 27.

With parents concerned about first graders adapting to school life, the Office of Education explained that the 'Play-based Semester System' reduces the burden of school life by creating a comfortable classroom environment and providing fun play-centered classes appropriate to the grade level. However, considering COVID-19, this year classes will be conducted mainly through individual activities with students maintaining distance inside the classroom to practice social distancing.

Accordingly, the Gyeongbuk Education Research Institute developed a teaching material book titled 'Happy First School Life Learned Through Play' for the Play-based Semester System and provided it to all first-grade homeroom teachers.

Superintendent Lim Jong-sik stated, "We will actively support first graders to have a smooth school life through the operation of a play-centered curriculum, and ensure a safe first-grade school life by strictly adhering to quarantine and daily life rules."

Meanwhile, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education is currently supporting all 1,023 first-grade classes with 100,000 KRW per class, totaling 102.3 million KRW, to help the solid operation of the 'Play-based Semester System.' Additionally, for classes combining in-person and remote learning, play-centered EBS broadcast learning packages are continuously provided.

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