Universities Gradually Return to Normal... In-Person Classes to Resume from Next Year's First Semester

Small-scale classes and experiment, practice, and practical classes are in-person by principle
Other classes are preferably conducted in-person under quarantine management
Classroom quarantine standards maintain existing policies
On-campus student self-governance activities apply classroom quarantine management standards

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] From November, university campuses will also promote a phased return to normal daily life. Starting with the winter seasonal semester, a pilot operation will fully switch to face-to-face classes, with a full transition planned from the first semester of next year.

On the 29th, the Ministry of Education announced the 'Phased Return to Normal Life in the Education Sector' plan, stating that face-to-face activities at universities will be expanded from November 1.

Small-scale classes and experiment, practice, and practical skill classes will be operated face-to-face as a principle, and other classes will also be conducted face-to-face as much as possible under thorough quarantine management.

To prevent infringement of learning rights for students who are in self-quarantine or living in other regions due to mid-semester changes in class methods, it is recommended to combine real-time remote classes and face-to-face classes as much as possible.

On-campus student self-governance activities will apply classroom quarantine management standards, while other activities will follow the quarantine authorities' private gathering allowance standards. However, basic quarantine rules such as indoor mask-wearing and entry log creation must be observed as before.

The classroom quarantine management standards will maintain the criteria based on regional social distancing levels before the phased return to normal life transition. However, some university quarantine guidelines that were stricter than general quarantine guidelines, such as class participation criteria and commuter bus operation standards, will be relaxed.

The winter seasonal semester is set as a pilot period for switching to face-to-face classes. Face-to-face class operation is the principle. Remote classes for the purpose of infectious disease prevention are discouraged, but class methods suitable for educational purposes can be chosen. From the seasonal semester, the classroom quarantine management standards will also abolish distinctions based on social distancing levels.

The Ministry of Education recommends applying the 'Vaccination Certificate and Negative Test Confirmation System' for the use of on-campus facilities. This is a concept similar to the 'vaccine pass,' which allows only those who have completed vaccination or unvaccinated individuals with PCR negative confirmation to participate in multi-use facilities or events. The scope of on-campus facility use for vaccinated individuals will be expanded, but it is a principle not to introduce this for class participation.

From the first semester of next year, students will be able to choose class methods with face-to-face classes as the principle. Academic systems such as attendance and evaluation, which were relaxed to respond to COVID-19, will be normalized and operated. In the future, additional relaxed quarantine management standards following the phased return to normal life promoted by quarantine authorities will also be applied to universities.

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