Two-Week 'Adaptation Period' for New Semester... Full Remote Classes Possible at Principal's Discretion

From March 2 to 11, 'New Semester Adaptation Week'
Shortened classes, remote classes for overcrowded classrooms, provision of convenience meals, etc.
Ministry of Education encourages 'flexible response' in school academic operations
Shortened classes to be conducted after kit distribution on March 2, the first day of school

On the morning of the 20th, when all schools in the metropolitan area stopped full in-person attendance and began combining in-person and remote classes, a 2nd-grade science class was being conducted remotely at Jangwi Middle School in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] After the school reopening in March, schools will be able to operate academic schedules flexibly for two weeks, including shortened classes, remote classes, and adjustments to overcrowded schools and class density. With over 200,000 confirmed cases expected by March, it has been made possible for schools to switch to full remote classes within two weeks at the discretion of the school principal.

On the 21st, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye activated the 'Omicron Response Emergency Inspection and Support Team' and personally chaired a Ministry of Education task force meeting involving related departments.

The Ministry of Education will operate a new semester adaptation period from March 2 to 11 to allow adjustment to the changed Omicron quarantine system and academic schedules.

During this period, the Ministry urged flexible academic operations such as shortened class hours, adjustments to overcrowded schools, and remote classes in regions where confirmed cases are concentrated and infections are a concern. They also plan to consult with metropolitan and provincial offices of education to replace meal times with simpler meals that shorten distribution and eating times during school lunches.

In the academic operation guidelines announced on the 7th, the decision on the fourth type, 'full remote classes,' was to be made through consultation among the Ministry of Education, education offices, and schools, but now it will be applied flexibly so that it can be decided solely by the school principal.

A Ministry of Education official explained, "When the Ministry announced the academic operation guidelines on the 7th, we asked for careful decisions regarding switching to remote classes, but since confirmed cases are expected to peak in early to mid-March, we are emphasizing that switching to remote classes can be done based on the school principal's judgment rather than the Ministry or education offices."

The Ministry is not considering full remote classes at the metropolitan or national level. Some metropolitan and provincial education offices, such as Busan, have established guidelines allowing full remote classes by grade or school if the new confirmed case rate exceeds 5% and the school attendance suspension rate exceeds 20%.

Additionally, the self-diagnosis app will be improved starting from the 28th. It will be enhanced to reflect confirmed or quarantined statuses, enabling schools to preemptively identify students' infection situations.

The Ministry plans to distribute rapid antigen test kits from March 2, provide training on their use, and actively encourage early dismissal. During the first week of school, there will be focused education and promotion on how to use the rapid antigen test kits and the updated quarantine guidelines.

The Ministry announced the Omicron response first semester quarantine and academic operation plan on the 7th, and metropolitan and provincial education offices and schools are preparing their own plans for the new semester. The Ministry will switch to an emergency inspection and support team system with education offices and education support offices to monitor key issues intensively until the end of March.

Furthermore, meetings involving deputy superintendents of metropolitan and provincial education offices will be held weekly, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister or the Ministry of Education Vice Minister. To gather field opinions, teacher and parent meetings will be held under the chairmanship of the Deputy Prime Minister or Ministry Vice Minister, and school visits are also planned.

According to the Omicron response academic operation plan announced by the Ministry on the 7th, academic operation standards will vary from the new semester based on the number of confirmed and quarantined students per school. For normal attendance life similar to pre-COVID-19 times, the new confirmed case rate among enrolled students must not exceed 3%, and the attendance suspension rate (confirmed and quarantined) must not exceed 15%. If either condition is not met, overall attendance plus restrictions on (non)curricular activities will be applied; if both conditions are exceeded, partial attendance will be implemented. In case of a surge in confirmed cases, the Ministry, quarantine authorities, and education offices will consult to switch to full remote classes. Kindergarten, grades 1 and 2 of elementary school, special schools (classes), after-school care, and small-scale or rural schools will attend daily.

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