School Attendance from the 20th to February 3rd... No Time Restrictions on Academy and Study Room Use (Comprehensive)

School Density Reduced to Two-Thirds One Month After Full Return to In-Person Classes
Full Return for Grades 1-2, 3/4 for Grades 3-6, and Two-Thirds for Middle and High School
Remote Graduation Ceremonies Recommended... Final Exams Should Be Staggered by Grade
No Operating Hour Restrictions for Hagwon, Reading Rooms, and Study Cafes

On the morning of the 22nd, when full in-person attendance begins for kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools in the Seoul metropolitan area, students at Changwon Elementary School in Chang-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul, are heading to their classrooms after using hand sanitizer. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] One month after the start of full in-person classes, the school density will be reduced to 2/3 due to strengthened social distancing measures. During the final exam period, schedules will be separated by grade, and graduation ceremonies are also recommended to be held remotely as much as possible.

On the 16th, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters' policy to strengthen social distancing for COVID-19, the Ministry of Education will adjust the density of all schools in the metropolitan area and oversized/overcrowded schools in non-metropolitan areas to 2/3 from the 20th until the winter vacation.

For elementary schools, grades 1 and 2 will have full in-person attendance, but grades 3 to 6 will attend at 3/4 capacity, and middle and high schools can attend up to 2/3 capacity. Kindergartens, special classes (schools), after-school care programs, and small-scale or rural schools will operate normally. However, students who receive school-based vaccinations and attend school will be excluded from the density calculation.

Adjusting School Density Without Early Vacation

School density can be flexibly adjusted depending on the infection situation in each region. The Ministry of Education explained that full remote classes are also possible if necessary. A three-day preparation period is allowed for adjusting school density.

Ham Young-gi, Director of Curriculum Policy at the Ministry of Education, said, "Provincial offices consult with the Ministry of Education, and schools consult with the education office to further adjust density according to school characteristics. We also recommend that schools consider full remote classes if possible, and early vacation implementation has not been considered."

Group activities and mobile classes within schools are to be refrained from, and various school events such as graduation ceremonies should be operated remotely if possible. Face-to-face activities must be conducted at the minimum scale, such as at the class level or smaller.

Schools conducting final exams are encouraged to separate exam times by grade to reduce density within the school. Next week, 16.2% of middle schools and 17.2% of high schools will hold final exams.

Winter vacation varies by school, but more than half start on December 20 or 27. From the 20th, 24.8% of elementary, 9.4% of middle, and 42.2% of high school students will begin vacation. From the 27th, 42.2% of elementary, 45.7% of middle, and 37.9% of high school students will be on vacation. Schools starting vacation after January 3 account for 26.7% elementary, 40.9% middle, and 27.2% high schools.

Visiting vaccination began on the 15th and will start in Seoul on the 21st. The Ministry of Education is operating a vaccination support period until the 24th, with possible extensions by region.

Exemption from Operating Hour Restrictions for Academies and Study Rooms During 'Entrance Exam Season'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters exempted academies and study rooms frequented by youth from operating hour restrictions. Study rooms and study cafes are not subject to usage time limits but must comply with the private gathering limit of 4 people.

Lee Ki-il, the first controller of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said, "Because it is entrance exam season, academies, study cafes, and study rooms frequented by youth are exempt from usage time restrictions." Jung Byung-ik, Director of Lifelong Education at the Ministry of Education, explained, "Only operating hour restrictions set by provincial education office ordinances apply."

By region, in Seoul and Gyeonggi areas, academy teaching hours are until 10 p.m.; in Incheon, elementary school subject academies until 9 p.m., middle school until 10 p.m., and high school until 11 p.m.

Universities will also stop phased recovery of daily life and switch to remote classes. Theory, liberal arts, and large lectures are recommended to be conducted online. Seasonal semesters will hold face-to-face classes while complying with quarantine rules, with seating arranged to maintain one seat apart. Student council activities will not be allowed to exceed private gathering limits.

A Ministry of Education official said, "The policy to conduct face-to-face classes at universities starting next year is currently maintained, but future decisions will be made based on infection situations and school class operation status."

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