Busan Metropolitan Office of Education, "After-school classes for elementary, middle, and high schools fully suspended... Kindergarten and elementary care classrooms operated as needed"

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Jonghyo] The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education will suspend all after-school programs for elementary, middle, and high schools from the 24th to the 29th of this month. Care classrooms for kindergarten and elementary schools will operate only in cases of urgent care needs.

The Office of Education made this decision after holding an emergency countermeasure meeting on the afternoon of the 22nd at the Office of Education, following confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Busan.

The Office of Education decided to maintain the crisis alert level at the "alert stage" but to establish a response system equivalent to the "serious stage," upgrading the head of the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters from the Deputy Superintendent to the Superintendent and began operating accordingly.

To prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19, the Office of Education established a first-phase plan to be implemented from the 24th to the 29th. After-school programs for elementary, middle, and high schools will be fully suspended during this period. Care classrooms for kindergarten and elementary schools will operate only when urgent care is necessary.

For 24 kindergartens and 5 high schools whose academic schedules have not yet ended, the Office of Education ordered an immediate end to the academic schedule. Libraries directly managed by the Office of Education will cease operations, and access to school facilities by outsiders will be suspended.

The entrance ceremony scheduled for March 2 will not be held in large groups in auditoriums or similar venues but will be conducted in small groups at the classroom level. Whether to postpone the start of the semester will be decided after monitoring the situation.

Superintendent Kim Seokjun stated, "With confirmed cases already occurring in Busan, the situation is serious and urgent," and urged, "Be vigilant and fully commit to preventing and containing the spread of COVID-19 according to the infection prevention management response system."