Incheon Office of Education Orders Remaining Private Kindergartens to Close for Academic Schedule... Recommends Closure to Academies

Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education is holding an emergency countermeasure meeting chaired by Superintendent Doseong Hoon on the 23rd, following the escalation of the COVID-19 infectious disease crisis alert to the highest level, "serious," and the postponement of kindergarten and elementary, middle, and high school openings to March 9.
[Photo by Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] As the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) spreads, all kindergartens and schools in the Incheon area with remaining academic schedules will be closed.

On the 24th, the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education announced that it held an emergency countermeasure meeting chaired by Superintendent Do Seonghun and ordered all kindergartens and schools operating academic schedules to close, following the upgrade of the COVID-19 infectious disease crisis alert to the highest level, "Severe."

Accordingly, 27 private kindergartens, Namdong-gu Sungdeok Girls' High School, and Cheongna Dalton Foreign School have closed, and Chadwick International School was also requested to cooperate with the closure.

All public kindergartens and other schools have already completed their academic schedules. Emergency care for children of dual-income families will continue to operate as usual.

All public libraries and affiliated institutions under the Office of Education will be temporarily closed, and in consultation with the Incheon Academy Association, local academies will be strongly encouraged to close.

Additionally, to block COVID-19, city education office events such as the government award ceremony for retired teachers will be completely canceled. The first-half executive officials' workshop scheduled for the 27th will be abruptly canceled, and instead, disinfection status inspections will be conducted at schools and institutions at all levels.

The Office of Education decided to strengthen the function of the situation management and prevention task force by upgrading its head from the vice superintendent to the superintendent.

Superintendent Do Seonghun stated, "With the upgrade of the infectious disease crisis alert for COVID-19, more special crisis management capabilities are required," and added, "We will prioritize the safety and health of students and staff and concentrate all administrative power to prevent the spread of COVID-19."

Meanwhile, the government has ordered all kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools, and special schools nationwide to postpone the start of the new semester from March 2 to March 9, following the upgrade of the COVID-19 crisis alert level from "Caution" to "Severe."