"Quiet Graduation Regretted" Parents and No Dining Out in the 'Corona Graduation Ceremony'

Most Schools Hold Virtual Graduation Ceremonies Due to COVID-19
Parents Not Allowed to Attend Graduation Certificate Presentation
"It's a Once-in-a-Lifetime Graduation, So It's Disappointing"
Health Authorities: "Time to Minimize Contact Between People"

Due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), a graduation ceremony is being held via video conference in a classroom at Seoul Usol Elementary School in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 13th. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-eun] "I haven't been able to see my friends often this year...," "It's a shame we couldn't take a group photo together."

The graduation ceremony scenes at elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide are also changing due to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Although it is the graduation season for schools at all levels, the ceremonies are being held online or simplified, and the lively atmosphere typical of previous years has disappeared. Additionally, the culture of dining out with family after graduation ceremonies has also faded away, and the nationwide graduation ceremonies, usually held in February, have been moved up to January and are finishing quickly.

On the 12th, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education announced that all school events, including graduation and closing ceremonies scheduled for January and February at elementary, middle, and high schools under their jurisdiction, will be switched to fully non-face-to-face formats or prohibit parental attendance. The policy aims to refrain from various events and minimize contact to block possible infection routes within schools.

According to the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, 93.3% of elementary schools, 89.7% of middle schools, and 79.6% of high schools in the province have already held or are scheduled to hold graduation ceremonies this month, while only 6.7% of elementary schools, 10.3% of middle schools, and 20.4% of high schools plan to hold ceremonies in February. Due to the impact of COVID-19, academic schedules have been adjusted with online classes, and graduation schedules have also been moved up.

Even when graduation ceremonies are held online, diplomas and graduation albums are often distributed by having students gather in classrooms at assigned times by class. However, even in these cases, parents and family members are not allowed to attend for quarantine reasons.

A new custom has emerged where students receive only their diplomas in a 'drive-through' format and then go home, and some schools have completely banned entry, sending diplomas and certificates to each household by courier.

The practice of gathering all students in the gymnasium or playground for the graduation ceremony and taking photos with friends has virtually disappeared. Also, the sight of family members handing congratulatory flower bouquets has become rare.

Gwangcheon Elementary School in Seo-gu, Gwangju restricted access to the school for parents and others except graduates due to concerns about the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). The photo shows the graduates on the morning of the 12th. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 8th, A (19), who had a non-face-to-face graduation ceremony at a high school in Gyeonggi Province, said, "I think I only went to school for about three months this year, so I regret not seeing my friends often, and I was upset that I had to quietly finish the graduation ceremony." She added, "Still, I went to school to receive my diploma and graduation album and was able to briefly greet my classmates and homeroom teacher." A also said, "I am entering university this year, and I hope COVID-19 calms down soon so I can enjoy a proper college life."

Furthermore, due to the government's strengthened quarantine rules, private gatherings of five or more people are restricted until the 17th, and the culture of dining out with family after graduation ceremonies has disappeared. B (51), a parent of a graduate, said, "On graduation day, the whole family should go to a Chinese restaurant, but these days, dining out itself is cautious, so we ordered food delivery at home." She added, "I never thought COVID-19 would get so severe that I couldn't even attend my child's graduation. Although I was disappointed not to be together for the once-in-a-lifetime graduation, I thought my child would be the most disappointed, so I congratulated them by ordering a lot of delicious food."

Meanwhile, the number of new domestic COVID-19 cases, which had been over 1,000 for a while, dropped to the 600s and then the 400s after the 7th, but has slightly increased again. Although the spread has somewhat slowed and decreased, health authorities still emphasize minimizing contact between people and strictly following personal quarantine rules.

On the 10th, Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said at a regular COVID-19 briefing, "Please continue to cancel all gatherings and appointments and minimize contact between people." He added, "It is still the early stage of decline, and the speed is slow, so it is not a situation to be relieved of concern." He also said, "From February, more stable quarantine responses will be possible through vaccinations and treatments, so this is a very important time."

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