Superintendent Jang Seok-woong held a press briefing on COVID-19 on the 10th. Photo by Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Jang Seok-woong, Superintendent of Education for Jeonnam Province, announced on the 10th, “In response to the three-week delay in the start of the 2020 academic year due to the spread of COVID-19, we are making every effort to prepare support measures for students.”
Superintendent Jang said at a press briefing that day, “Along with protecting children’s health from COVID-19, we are actively responding by mobilizing all possible administrative resources to minimize learning loss caused by the prolonged school closure and to guide children’s daily lives.”
Regarding emergency care, he stated, “We are operating services for children in need of care, such as those from dual-income families, under strict compliance with hygiene rules including ‘social distancing,’ and providing lunch and snacks as well.”
Meanwhile, the Provincial Office of Education is providing emergency care services to 5,158 kindergarteners, 5,557 elementary school students, and 22 special school students. Additionally, to reduce the financial burden on parents, it is supporting 600 million KRW from contingency funds for daily lunch costs of 6,000 KRW and morning and afternoon snack costs of 2,400 KRW each.
To minimize learning loss, a separate “Jeonnam Online Education Service” has been established on the website, allowing students to study various learning contents such as e-Hakseupter, Edunet, and YouTube via mobile devices and computers.
High schools have opened online classes based on Google Classroom and are managing subject learning linked with EBS. They also plan to operate the “Jeonnam Online Education Service Support Team,” composed of 44 elementary and secondary teachers with excellent online teaching and learning capabilities.
Superintendent Jang said, “Various methods of learning support and life guidance for students who have no choice but to stay at home are being implemented,” adding, “Through online home learning, students, parents, and teachers are fostering a cooperative relationship to promote students’ self-directed learning management.”
During the school closure period, measures for children’s life education have also been prepared by establishing an emergency contact network among schools, students, and parents to frequently monitor students’ health status and movements and share information related to COVID-19.
They are actively guiding students to refrain from visiting multi-use facilities such as PC rooms and karaoke rooms and are providing instructions on hygiene rules such as handwashing and wearing masks.
They are also actively managing, supervising, and supporting the operation of private academies and tutoring centers. Currently, among 3,386 academies and tutoring centers in Jeonnam, 855 are temporarily closed. The Provincial Office of Education and the Academy Association have pledged to actively cooperate to protect children’s health from COVID-19.
They are considering a temporary allowance for non-face-to-face online classes and plan to request cooperation from Jeonnam Provincial Government to participate in the “Good Landlord Movement” to reduce academy rental fees.
Superintendent Jang said, “Each department, education support office, and school will supplement any deficiencies or negligence through on-site inspections,” and added, “Let us wisely overcome this crisis through everyone’s dedication, interest, and solidarity.”
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