"Starting with Prepared Schools" Busan Office of Education to Flexibly Apply Social Distancing Level 1.5

From the 24th, Social Distancing Level 1.5 Standards Applied to Prepared Schools

Compliance with 2/3 Student Density, Priority Attendance for Kindergarten, Grades 1-2, and Grade 12

Busan Metropolitan Office of Education.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] What will happen to the education scene in Busan following the city's decision to ease social distancing measures starting from the 24th?

Schools prepared for Level 1.5 academic operations will apply the measures on site.

The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education (Superintendent Kim Seok-jun) announced on the 21st that starting from the 24th, schools that are ready will apply academic operation standards corresponding to social distancing Level 1.5 according to their conditions.

This measure follows Busan City's decision on the same day to ease social distancing from the current Level 2 to Level 1.5.

Schools in the Busan area will apply the student density compliance standard of two-thirds as soon as they are prepared starting from the 24th.

However, kindergartens, grades 1-2 in elementary school, and grade 3 in high school are allowed to attend school first.

For special schools, attendance is prioritized in principle, but autonomous decisions are allowed considering local circumstances and school conditions.

Small-scale schools are also allowed to decide autonomously. Small-scale schools are defined as kindergartens with 60 or fewer students, elementary/middle/high schools with 300 or fewer students, or schools with more than 300 but 400 or fewer students and an average of 25 or fewer students per class.

Separate face-to-face guidance for basic academic skills and newly arrived immigrant students, as well as care and after-school programs, will not be subject to the density standards.

Regarding field experience learning, under Level 2 distancing only non-face-to-face activities were allowed in principle, but under Level 1.5, one-day field experience learning with fewer than 100 participants or by class unit can be conducted within Busan city or on school premises.

Gwon Young-sook, Head of the Elementary Education Division at Busan Metropolitan Office of Education, said, “Although student density is somewhat eased, students attending school must participate daily in the ‘Student Health Status Self-Diagnosis System’ to check their health.” She added, “If there are suspicious symptoms, we hope they get tested at health centers, temporary screening clinics, or major medical institutions where free diagnostic tests are available.”

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