Increase in In-Person Classes for 2nd Semester in Seoul Metropolitan Area and Gwangju Schools... Limit on Number of Students Attending In-Person Classes Relaxed from 1/3 to 2/3

Relaxation of Measures to Minimize Density in Seoul Metropolitan Area and Gwangju
Two-Thirds Attendance Maintained in Other Regions
Ministry of Education Recommends Biweekly Instead of Alternate-Day Attendance

On the afternoon of the 1st, students at an elementary school in Daejeon are seen leaving school while maintaining distance.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Bong-ju] As concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) decrease, measures to minimize school density in the metropolitan area and Gwangju for the second semester will be eased to the same level as other regions. The restriction on the number of students attending school in the metropolitan area and Gwangju will increase from the current one-third to two-thirds.

On the 31st, the Ministry of Education announced, "After gathering opinions from metropolitan and provincial offices of education, teacher organizations, and school sites, and consulting with quarantine authorities such as the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, it has been decided that the strengthened density minimization measures in the metropolitan area (Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi) and Gwangju will be implemented only until the first semester as originally planned."

It added, "For schools in the metropolitan area and Gwangju, when preparing academic operation plans for the second semester, they should be established in accordance with limiting the number of students attending school to two-thirds. It is necessary to maintain the current level of density minimization measures during the first week of the second semester to check the quarantine situation within schools and address any vulnerabilities."

Earlier, the Ministry of Education postponed the first semester school attendance to May-June due to the COVID-19 situation. At that time, schools were advised to ensure that the number of students attending did not exceed two-thirds of the total students.

Subsequently, as infections continued mainly in the metropolitan area and Gwangju, the Ministry of Education instructed that the number of students attending schools in kindergartens, elementary, and middle schools in these areas be limited to one-third or less of the total students (and two-thirds or less for high schools) until the end of the first semester.

Students eating school meals while social distancing at an elementary school in Daejeon. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Ministry of Education eased the restrictions on the number of students attending school in the second semester because the risk of COVID-19 transmission has subsided compared to the first semester.

For other regions, the Ministry plans to recommend maintaining school density within two-thirds, as in the first semester.

To create a safe educational environment within schools in the second semester, the Ministry of Education will apply the government's 'social distancing stage criteria' to determine the mode of attendance and remote classes and the level of school density by stage. The transition between stages will be applied under the principle of consultation among the Ministry of Education, metropolitan and provincial offices of education, and quarantine authorities.

According to the government's social distancing stage criteria: ▲ Stage 1 recommends maintaining school density at two-thirds or less depending on local and school conditions ▲ Stage 2 requires kindergartens, elementary, and middle schools to maintain density at one-third or less, and high schools at two-thirds or less ▲ Stage 3 corresponds to remote classes or school closures.

The reason for not fully reopening schools in the second semester is that the current infectious disease crisis level corresponds to Stage 1.

Currently, the school density minimization measures are at a recommended level, and the final decision is left to each school's discretion.

However, the Ministry of Education recommends that schools in areas with a high risk of infection spread due to cluster infections or in oversized and overcrowded schools adhere to the measure of maintaining school density at two-thirds or less.

Also, while detailed attendance plans by grade are autonomously decided by metropolitan and provincial offices of education and schools, considering the effectiveness of classes and learning and quarantine conditions, continuous or biweekly attendance is recommended over alternate-day attendance.

Furthermore, to ensure basic academic skills for kindergarteners and lower-grade elementary students, the autonomy of schools and kindergartens will be strengthened in deciding face-to-face attendance and expanded attendance classes, and these will be excluded from the density targets only for basic academic support.

If the COVID-19 infectious disease situation worsens and the government's social distancing stage is raised, the measures to minimize school density will also be proactively adjusted.

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