Namak High School staff disinfecting the cafeteria ahead of in-person classes. Photo by Namak High School
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Following the government's phased reopening plan by school level, approximately 27,000 students, including 3rd-year high school students and elementary and middle school students in schools with fewer than 60 students, will begin attending in-person classes starting on the 20th in Jeonnam Province.
According to the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education on the 19th, in-person classes in schools across Jeonnam will start on the 20th for 3rd-year high school students, elementary and middle schools with fewer than 60 students, and special schools (vocational courses). On the 27th, 2nd-year high school students, 3rd-year middle school students, 1st and 2nd-grade elementary students, kindergarteners, and special schools (kindergarten and high school) will begin attending in-person classes.
On the 3rd of next month, 1st-year high school students, 2nd-year middle school students, 3rd and 4th-grade elementary students, and special schools (elementary and middle) will start attending, and on the 8th, 1st-year middle school students and 5th and 6th-grade elementary students will be the last group to return to in-person classes.
On the initial phase starting the 20th, 16,504 3rd-year students from 142 high schools, 10,421 students from 344 elementary and middle schools with fewer than 60 students, and 241 vocational course students from 8 special schools are scheduled to attend in-person classes.
Each school will check for fever and respiratory symptoms twice daily and conduct additional checks during the school day. They plan to strengthen disinfection and ventilation in key areas such as inside the school, school buses, and dormitories.
Additionally, students are instructed to wear masks at home before coming to school, and masks will be distributed to students who come without one. The use of air purifiers is prohibited, and when air conditioning is in operation, one-third of all windows must be opened.
Furthermore, a temporary observation room has been installed in each of the 953 schools, and special disinfection has been completed. Thermal cameras have been installed in all 383 schools with more than 200 students, and 14,544 thermometers (131% of all classes) have been secured.
Regarding protective masks, a total of 450,000 masks have been secured, providing two masks per student. Additionally, 520,000 disposable masks and 420,000 cloth masks have been stocked. Hand sanitizers have also been stocked, with one per classroom.
Measures to reduce student density and minimize contact have also been implemented. Items such as lockers have been moved outside classrooms, seating is arranged one student per seat in a zigzag pattern to maximize distancing, and partitions have been installed on tables in cafeterias to minimize contact during meal times.
In particular, up to 20% of school days are recognized for off-campus experiential learning (home study), and class times have been shortened by 5 minutes (35 minutes for elementary, 40 minutes for middle, and 45 minutes for high school). Schools are also allowed to autonomously stagger start times, breaks, and meal times, and restroom use during class is permitted.
The Office of Education has prepared a response manual for when students show suspected COVID-19 symptoms during in-person classes, including immediate isolation in the temporary observation room and contacting 119 and health authorities. This manual has been distributed to all schools and uploaded on the website.
Superintendent Jang Seok-woong stated, “Since the reopening of schools has been hard-won, we will ensure thorough preparation so that school operations can return to normal as soon as possible. Above all, we will tighten our vigilance and focus all our efforts on protecting the health of students and staff.”
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