Sequential Return to School by Grade at One-Week Intervals Starting from the 20th After High School Seniors on the 13th

Ministry of Education Announces School Reopening on the 4th
Middle and High Schools to Start with Upper Grades
Elementary Schools to Begin with Lower Grades

On the 4th, a banner reading "Let's overcome together and meet healthily!" related to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was hung at an elementary school in Seoul. On the same afternoon, Yoo Eun-hye, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, is scheduled to announce plans for in-person classes for elementary, middle, and high schools at the Government Seoul Office. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] As the response system shifts to daily quarantine measures depending on the trend of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), in-person classes will be gradually implemented.

On the 4th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye announced a phased and sequential plan for in-person classes at kindergartens, elementary, middle, high, special schools, and various other schools nationwide at the Government Seoul Office.

For middle and high schools, the plan is to start with the upper grades, and for elementary schools, to start with the lower grades, with about a one-week interval between grades for sequential attendance. The Ministry of Education reflected the advice of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and experts as much as possible, and gathered opinions from teachers' organizations, education offices, and parents in the education field.

First, on the 13th, 3rd-year high school students, who bear a heavy burden of career and college entrance preparation, will start first. Elementary and middle schools with fewer than 60 students in areas where daily distancing is possible will also attend first.

Next, on the 20th, 2nd-year high school students, 3rd-year middle school students, 1st and 2nd-grade elementary students, and kindergartens will attend. On the 27th, 1st-year high school students, 2nd-year middle school students, and 3rd and 4th-grade elementary students will attend, and finally, on the 1st of next month, 1st-year middle school students and 5th and 6th-grade elementary students will attend.

The Ministry of Education allowed local governments and schools to autonomously decide specific academic operation methods such as staggered attendance by grade and class, concurrent operation of remote and in-person classes, morning and afternoon shifts by class unit, and flexible class hours, considering the varying conditions such as infection trends by region and school density.

Special schools will follow the attendance schedule by kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school levels, but will autonomously decide based on comprehensive consideration of local government and school conditions.