2100 Nationwide Elementary, Middle, and High Schools Fail to Open... Ministry of Education "Further Strengthening Academy Quarantine Measures" (Comprehensive)

Police Agency Joins Academy Joint Response Team
Full Remote Classes for Kindergartens and Elementary to High Schools in the Capital Area Except for 12th Graders
Confirmed Cases Increase by 22 Students and 4 Staff Members

On the 25th, 100 days before the 2021 College Scholastic Ability Test, an instructor is conducting an interactive real-time remote class for enrolled students at Jongno Academy Gangnam Main Branch in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The Ministry of Education is also pushing for further strengthened quarantine measures for private academies.

On the 25th, the Ministry of Education stated, "A full inspection is underway regarding the suspension of operations of large private academies, and for those academies that do not comply, we plan to urge strict investigations including fines in cooperation with local governments."

With the elevation to social distancing level 2, large private academies are currently suspended from operating and only remote classes are allowed. Medium and small-sized private academies are subject to operational restrictions while being mandated to comply with quarantine rules. If confirmed cases occur due to operating in violation of quarantine rules, the Ministry plans to consider claiming damages. For medium and small-sized academies that fail to comply with core quarantine rules, local governments will be consulted to enforce gathering bans and impose fines.

Meanwhile, the 'Joint Response Team for Private Academies,' composed of education offices and local governments by city and province, will conduct inspections with participation from the National Police Agency.

On the same day, the Ministry of Education and metropolitan area superintendents held an emergency briefing and announced that starting from the 26th, all kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as special schools, except for third-year high school students, will completely suspend in-person classes due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). This is because confirmed cases among students and staff continue to increase mainly in the metropolitan area.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye and superintendents of education from the Seoul metropolitan area are moving to the briefing room in the main building of the Government Seoul Office on the 25th to announce the transition to remote classes for kindergartens, elementary, middle, high, and special schools located in the metropolitan area. From the left, Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education; Lee Jae-jung, Superintendent of Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education; Deputy Prime Minister Yoo; Do Sung-hoon, Superintendent of Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

Since related statistics were released at the end of May, the number of schools adjusting in-person class days has exceeded 2,000 for the first time.

As of 10 a.m. on the day, the Ministry of Education announced that 2,100 schools in 12 cities and provinces have adjusted their in-person class days. The number of schools adjusting in-person classes is the highest since related statistics were released at the end of May. This is an increase of 255 schools compared to 1,845 schools the previous day. Seven schools started in-person classes, and one school was excluded from the list due to starting vacation, but 263 schools additionally adjusted their in-person days.

By region, the metropolitan area includes Seoul with 157 schools, Incheon with 157 schools, and Gyeonggi with 524 schools, while Gwangju has 580 schools, Cheongju in Chungbuk has 268 schools, Wonju in Gangwon has 120 schools, and Suncheon in Jeonnam has 116 schools.

The number of confirmed cases among students and staff is steadily increasing. Compared to the previous day, student cases increased by 22 and staff cases by 4. This brings the cumulative total to 307 students and 74 staff members.

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