Yoo Eun-hye "Afraid of COVID Spread, Reduce Density to Two-Thirds"

Already Applied in Capital Area Schools
Confusion at Non-Capital Area Schools with All Grades Returning

Self-Diagnosis Survey Conducted 3 Days Before School Starts
Dormitory-Operating Schools Mention Diagnostic Tests

Growing Anxiety Among Parents of Grade 12 Students
"Care Measures Needed," Complaints from Parents of Lower Grades

Eun-Hye Yoo, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, is delivering opening remarks at the 'Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education Video Conference' held on the 19th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The Ministry of Education has requested all metropolitan and provincial offices of education nationwide to reduce the number of students attending school in person to two-thirds or less. Recently, the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has been centered around the metropolitan area, and schools in the metropolitan area have already applied strengthened attendance criteria. However, some metropolitan and provincial offices outside the metropolitan area are sticking to the 'all grades attend school' policy, causing confusion in the educational field.

On the morning of the 19th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye held a video conference with superintendents of education from across the country at the Government Seoul Office to discuss detailed matters following the elevation to social distancing level 2. In her opening remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "The number of confirmed students and staff who tested positive during the week after August 11 accounts for 39% of the total cumulative confirmed cases, indicating a frightening speed of spread," and added, "I ask for your cooperation in reducing the density within schools to at least two-thirds."

According to the Ministry of Education on that day, from the 11th to the 17th, 65 students and 9 staff members nationwide were confirmed positive. Among the 74 confirmed cases, 57 (77%) were concentrated in Seoul and Gyeonggi areas, the metropolitan region. Accordingly, the Ministry of Education issued guidelines for the metropolitan area until September 11, stating that kindergartens and elementary and middle schools should limit attendance to one-third or less of the total (up to 33% of students attending), and high schools to two-thirds or less (up to 66% attendance). To prevent nationwide spread, it also recommended reducing attendance to two-thirds or less in non-metropolitan areas, but some metropolitan and provincial offices of education have maintained the policy of all grades attending school, sparking controversy.

During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo also mentioned resuming self-diagnosis surveys three days before school starts and conducting diagnostic tests at schools with dormitories. She said, "After school starts, we will operate a special monitoring period of 1 to 2 weeks at the school level, thoroughly managing students by suspending attendance of those with suspicious symptoms," and added, "We will support making self-diagnosis simpler than in the first semester."

Meanwhile, confusion at schools due to the resurgence of COVID-19 centered in the metropolitan area is intensifying. Contrary to expectations that students would be able to attend school more frequently in the second semester, metropolitan area schools are mostly continuing the first semester's academic operations, such as attending once a week or every other week. Since follow-up measures must be prepared according to the quarantine authorities' guidelines, attendance schedules change within a day, and teachers are struggling to communicate these changes.

High school seniors and their parents, with college entrance exams approaching, are engulfed in anxiety. The deadline for school life records is less than a month away on the 16th of next month, and early application submissions start on the 23rd. The College Scholastic Ability Test will be held 106 days from now. Following the elevation of social distancing levels, large academies with fewer than 300 people were closed from that day. A representative of a large cram school said, "Consultations for early admissions have been completely suspended for now," and added, "Students who had been attending classes wearing masks until 10 p.m. are now saying their study rhythm has been disrupted because they suddenly cannot come to the academy."

Eun-Hye Yoo, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, is delivering opening remarks at the 'Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education Video Conference' held on the 19th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Complaints are growing mainly among parents of lower-grade elementary school students. There is nowhere to leave their children immediately, but the school has reduced all scheduled attendance days. A parent living in Jung-gu, Seoul, with a second-grade elementary school child said, "Sending my child to school is burdensome and worrisome for safety reasons, but as a dual-income couple, I hope there will be more systems to watch over children in at least minimally safe spaces," and added, "Additional measures related to childcare need to be proposed."