Yoo Eun-hye "Kits Should Be Prioritized for University Face-to-Face Lectures and Dormitories"

While inspecting university quarantine measures, urged to establish 'in-person class principles and business continuity plans'
Deputy Prime Minister Yoo: "We will strive to prioritize supply of rapid antigen test kits to universities"

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye visited Sogang University in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 14th to listen to students' opinions regarding school quarantine measures.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye requested that rapid antigen test kits be prioritized for experimental and practical classes as well as dormitories at universities.

On the 14th, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo visited Sogang University in Mapo-gu, Seoul, to inspect the preparations for university quarantine and academic operations for the first semester in response to Omicron, and to listen to field opinions on the support needed for university quarantine.

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "We will secure procurement quantities so that rapid antigen test kits can be distributed as a priority not only to kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools but also to universities, and strive to supply the necessary resources and kits to universities at a procurement price of around 2,500 won."

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo emphasized, "I ask schools themselves to secure testing capabilities by prioritizing the allocation of kits to face-to-face classes related to dormitories or experimental and practical classes."

The Ministry of Education announced on the 7th a university academic operation plan stating that face-to-face classes will be the principle from the first semester. Universities are required to establish a 'Business Continuity Plan (BCP)' in preparation for a surge in confirmed cases and share it within the campus.

BCP refers to a plan that designates face-to-face or non-face-to-face classes in advance during emergencies to increase predictability in academic operations. If confirmed cases in a university reach around 5% of the total, Stage 1 is implemented; if it rises to around 10%, Stage 2 is implemented.

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "In the case of Sogang University, they plan to expand face-to-face classes to more than 30% starting from the third semester this year. I ask that classes such as major experimental and practical classes be operated on the principle of face-to-face instruction," and added, "I hope that universities establish business continuity plans in advance so that not only face-to-face classes but also the basic educational and research functions of universities are maintained and academic operations can continue stably."

Regarding concerns that the increased budget for quarantine-related items such as rapid antigen test kits is a burden for universities, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo explained, "It is difficult to provide a separate budget immediately, but we have allowed the use of university innovation support project funds for school quarantine measures, mental health program operations, and learning community projects," and added, "The Ministry of Education will also prepare institutional measures to ensure that each university can fully utilize the university innovation support project funds."

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