Yoo Eun-hye: "Even if confirmed cases appear, schools will not close... Please prevent further spread"

Held a Video Conference with Nationwide Education Directors to Emphasize Quarantine Measures
Urged Epidemiological Investigation, Follow-up Actions, and Cafeteria Disinfection
Postponed Audits for Education Offices and Schools After October
"Exemption from Liability if No Intentional or Gross Negligence in Infectious Disease Response"

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye held a video conference with the heads of 176 education support offices nationwide at the Government Seoul Office on the 20th, urging them to implement quarantine measures.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye urged for swift measures to prevent further spread of COVID-19 under the revised quarantine guidelines that no longer require closing entire schools even if confirmed cases occur starting from the second semester.

On the 20th, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo held a video conference at the Government Seoul Office with superintendents from 176 education support offices nationwide to discuss preparations for expanded in-person classes and support for educational recovery. They shared key focus areas such as academic operations, vaccination, and quarantine management through the second week of September.

Yoo stated, "In the second semester, the operation will no longer be to close the entire school just because one confirmed case occurs. When a confirmed case is identified, an epidemiological investigation should be conducted immediately, and follow-up measures at the school should proceed promptly in cooperation with the quarantine authorities."

She emphasized, "The core of school quarantine is to strictly adhere to quarantine rules and to take swift action to prevent secondary and tertiary spread even if there is just one confirmed case in a school."

The Ministry of Education plans to minimize audits to allow focus on expanding in-person classes and quarantine, and will actively promote exemption from liability for teachers.

Yoo added, "To reduce the workload of schools and education offices, the Ministry of Education will refrain from holding events and issuing official documents, and audits by education offices have been postponed until after October. In cases of infectious disease response where there is no intentional or gross negligence, neither education offices nor teachers will face disadvantages from audits, and active administrative exemption will be promoted."

On the 20th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye held a video conference with the heads of 176 education support offices nationwide at the Government Seoul Office, urging them to implement quarantine measures.

Regarding the importance of quarantine in school cafeterias alongside expanded in-person classes in the second semester, she requested, "Support for quarantine personnel in cafeterias should be increased compared to the first semester, and please ensure that the installation of partitions on cafeteria tables is completed before September 6."

Yoo said, "Please pay special attention to school quarantine until late October when the current resurgence situation improves and 70% of the entire population is expected to be vaccinated. Careful administrative support is needed so that all vaccinated staff can return to work healthily after vaccination."

The Ministry of Education will implement a comprehensive educational recovery plan starting in the second semester, providing free supplementary learning to 2.03 million students through next year, and will begin online and offline tutoring primarily for prospective teachers from the first semester of next year.

Yoo stated, "Not only students who are below basic learning levels but also all students who wish to receive supplementary learning are eligible. Education offices may expand programs they are already operating. Please establish detailed implementation plans tailored to local circumstances and ensure the projects are carried out."

She added, "Since schools are concentrating all efforts on quarantine, I also ask parents to carefully guide their children on preventive measures at home and thoroughly check their health status to ensure stable in-person attendance."

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