Ahead of Expanded Attendance for Lower Elementary Grades, "Give Us the Right to Choose Attendance"

A Flood of Complaints Demanding Online Class Options Based on Family Situations
Parents Say "Variants and Infectious Diseases Could Surge Anytime"
Concerns Over Academic Gaps and Care Gaps... Government Prepares Measures to Expand In-Person Attendance

On the 19th, when in-person classes for kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide were expanded following the adjustment to Level 1 social distancing, children were attending school at Munbaek Elementary School in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul. According to the education sector, from this day forward, the number of students attending school in all regions nationwide was expanded to two-thirds capacity. Schools in the metropolitan area and overcrowded schools or classes must comply with this standard, but non-metropolitan areas are allowed to adjust density according to their circumstances, making it possible for all students to attend school every day in a 'full in-person attendance' system. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] As the debate over expanding in-person attendance for lower elementary grades spreads, parents are voicing demands for optional attendance.

On the 25th, a parent posted on the Blue House petition board, stating, "Children's safety is absolutely more important than academic gaps, and it is still dangerous, so I do not want to send my child to school." The parent added, "If the government is considering in-person attendance, please allow optional attendance." Currently, about 140 people have agreed to this petition.

The parent explained, "The reason children had a lower chance of infection was due to parents' special care such as keeping children home, but with variants and other infectious diseases, we do not know when infections might surge." They continued, "I have seen many parents blaming themselves during the two-week self-quarantine period when confirmed cases occurred at academies, daycare centers, or schools."

Complaints requesting the right to optional attendance are also being submitted to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. A parent of an elementary school student said, "With the repeated starts and stops of in-person attendance, both homes and schools have been confused, and it will be difficult to stabilize attendance immediately this year as well." They added, "Some families want to protect health over academics, while others need in-person attendance due to dual-income households, so please allow families to choose between online or in-person classes according to their circumstances."

The government views expanding in-person classes as necessary due to concerns about academic gaps, school adaptation, and prolonged care gaps. Repeated shifts between in-person and remote classes have made it difficult for lower-grade students to adapt to school, and there are concerns that students who find it hard to attend school due to dual-income households may struggle to catch up once in-person classes resume. The government is considering various measures, including flexible application by school while maintaining attendance standards according to quarantine levels. An official from the Ministry of Education explained, "Even now, after-school care and small schools or kindergartens are allowed to attend in person, so various types of exceptions will be included."

Recently, a paper involving Jeong Eun-kyung, Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, has fueled discussions on expanding in-person attendance. According to the paper, an analysis of infection routes from May to July last year showed that infections within schools accounted for only 2.4%. The health authorities cited the World Health Organization (WHO) announcement that children and adolescents make up 30% of the global population but COVID-19 incidence is only 8%, indicating that children under 10 have relatively lower transmission and infection rates.

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