Seoul School Attendance Follows Ministry of Education Policy... Grades 1-2 and Grade 12 Attend First

Priority In-Person Attendance for Grades 1-2, Grade 12, and Special Classes
Avoid Long-Term Remote Classes for Specific Grades
Other Grades Likely to Attend School Every Other Week

On the 23rd, marking the solar term Sanggwang (霜降), which signifies the first frost and the coldest day of this autumn, a mother is seen hugging her child tightly in front of an elementary school in Seocho-gu, Seoul, as the child goes to school. The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasted that morning temperatures across most regions nationwide would drop to around 5 degrees Celsius, with daytime temperatures remaining below 15 degrees Celsius. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has established academic operation principles prioritizing in-person attendance for 1st and 2nd graders in elementary school and 3rd-year high school students, in accordance with the Ministry of Education's guidelines. Unlike other metropolitan and provincial offices of education, it plans to conduct in-person classes while adhering to the density principle.

On the 10th, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education communicated the 2021 academic operation policy to schools within its jurisdiction. The density principle remains at the current level, consistent with the standards announced by the Ministry of Education.

Kindergarteners, 1st and 2nd graders in elementary school, and 3rd-year high school students will attend school first, while other grades are expected to attend on alternating weeks. The order of attendance by grade can be operated autonomously and flexibly, considering the opinions of school members.

However, a caveat was added to avoid prolonged remote classes for any specific grade. If confirmed cases occur within the school or if the local infectious disease situation worsens, classes can be switched to remote learning according to the procedure for adjusting in-person school days.

On the 19th, when social distancing was adjusted to Level 1, children were attending school at Munbaek Elementary School in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, as in-person classes for kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide were expanded. According to the education sector, from this day forward, the number of students attending school in all regions nationwide was increased to two-thirds capacity. Schools in the metropolitan area, large schools, and overcrowded 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@

The current school attendance principle allows up to two-thirds attendance at stages 1 and 1.5, one-third at stage 2 as a principle but up to two-thirds (two-thirds for high schools), one-third at stage 2.5, and full remote learning at stage 3.

A Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education official explained, "Even if remote classes are conducted concurrently, 3rd-year high school students and special classes will be prioritized for in-person attendance. Up to stage 2.5, in-person classes will be expanded starting with special schools or small schools, but if the situation worsens, density can be minimized flexibly by operating morning and afternoon shifts."

Attendance criteria vary slightly by region due to differences in local COVID-19 infection situations. The Chungbuk Provincial Office of Education has set exceptions to the density principle allowing full attendance for kindergartens and special schools up to stage 2.5, and full attendance for 1st and 2nd graders in elementary school up to stage 2. The Gangwon Provincial Office of Education announced that 1st and 2nd graders in elementary school will attend daily up to stage 2, and new middle and high school students will be given priority in-person attendance temporarily in March to help them adapt to school.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has allowed off-campus experiential learning days for elementary students to be used consecutively up to 20% of the total school days (at least 190 days) this year. If the infectious disease stage is serious or cautionary in the second half of the year, this will be expanded up to 30%. Off-campus experiential learning can also be done as home study, but it will be recorded in the student record as other absences recognized as attendance.

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