<기사제목>Jang Sang-yoon, Deputy Minister of Education, Urges "Swift Response to COVID-19... Rapid Recovery from Heavy Rain Damage"

Extension of Intensive Quarantine Inspection Period from 3 to 5 Weeks... Number of Schools Inspected Increased from 616 to 1,250
Sharing of Support Plans for Recovery of School Facilities Damaged by Heavy Rain

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Vice Minister of Education Jang Sang-yoon held a meeting with metropolitan and provincial education superintendents on the 25th amid the resurgence of COVID-19 and the start of the second semester, raising concerns about student infections. He urged thorough maintenance of the school quarantine system and swift response from the early stages of infection occurrence. He also requested support for schools to promptly restore facilities damaged by the recent heavy rains.

Vice Minister Jang emphasized strict compliance with personal prevention rules and school quarantine guidelines to prevent student infections, as well as strengthening school-level responses to the spread of infectious diseases. He announced the extension of the current intensive quarantine inspection period to promptly address vulnerabilities identified during inspections and to actively implement measures to prevent recurrence of quarantine negligence. The inspection period was extended from the originally planned three weeks before and after the semester start to five weeks, and the number of schools inspected increased from 616 nationwide to 1,250.

Furthermore, he requested timely deployment of dedicated school quarantine personnel at the beginning of the semester, sufficient stockpiling of quarantine supplies such as masks and hand sanitizers, and rapid distribution of rapid antigen test kits to students for voluntary testing of symptomatic individuals.

Vice Minister Jang stated, "If the COVID-19 situation worsens, please re-examine and continuously improve related guidelines so that schools planning overnight field trips in the second semester can make smooth decisions such as contract changes or schedule adjustments," adding, "strengthen education on preventive lifestyle rules for students using multi-use facilities and guidance on out-of-school activities, and ensure that private academies comply with personal quarantine rules such as indoor disinfection and ventilation, as well as quarantine rules according to teaching types."

Meanwhile, Vice Minister Jang shared plans to support the restoration of schools damaged by the heavy rains and requested prompt restoration support through on-site inspections to ensure normal academic operations in the second semester.

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