First Day of School: "I Prefer Attending In Person Over Online"... Parents Feel Both Hopeful and Worried

First Day of New Semester, Children Full of Excitement in Front of School
Parents Prefer School Attendance Due to Concerns Over Academic Gaps and Peer Relationships
Parents Say "Remote Classes Also Require Supervision, Daily Management Is Difficult"
"Tried to Discourage Conversations"... Worries About Classroom Social Distancing

On the 2nd, when kindergarteners, 1st-2nd grade elementary students, and high school seniors nationwide began attending school, students were arriving at Geumyang Elementary School in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] "I prefer going to school over online classes. If I don't understand something, I can ask the teacher right away." (Song Yu-i, 5th grade)

"Because of COVID-19, we were told never to take off masks and to avoid talking much with friends if possible, but I’m not sure if that can be controlled." (Parent of a 2nd grader, Mr. Lee)

On the first day of March, returning to daily life, the faces of children going to school showed excitement. Parents generally welcomed the return to in-person classes after children had spent most of their time at home. However, many parents were worried about whether social distancing would be maintained at school.

Children’s Excited Steps, Parents Taking Commemorative Photos of School Arrival

On the morning of the 2nd, at the main gate of an elementary school in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, where a banner reading "Congratulations on Your Enrollment" was hung, the school security officer called out the name of the first child to arrive at school. "Already in 5th grade," he greeted. Children reaching the gate let go of their mothers’, fathers’, and grandmothers’ hands and ran excitedly across the playground to their classrooms. Some parents watched from a distance and recorded their children arriving at school on their phones. Due to COVID-19, parents are not allowed to enter the playground, but as it was the entrance ceremony, only parents of 1st graders were given an exception to enter the playground.

Parents welcomed the expansion of in-person classes, considering the academic gaps and school adaptation of their children. A grandmother who came to school with her 2nd-grade granddaughter said, "Last year, she couldn’t go to school properly, so she didn’t make many friends and her studies were weak. Even studying at home was hard to keep up with. Studying with the teacher is different from online classes. It’s hard for her to concentrate at home, so it’s better to attend school."

Although it is uncertain when in-person classes might be reduced again due to COVID-19, children could not hide their joy about attending school for the new semester. Jeon Ah-young, a 5th grader, said, "I worry every day that I might not be able to go because of COVID-19. Online classes have less content, so they finish before lunchtime, and I get very bored staying at home."

Last year’s remote classes were mostly video-based rather than real-time interactive, making it difficult for children to follow alone, so parents responded that in-person classes are better. Mr. Lee, in his 40s, who has a 2nd-grade daughter attending school every day this year, said, "Still, going to school is better. In remote classes, kids can’t concentrate, and although grandma helps, there are many limitations. It’s also unfortunate that the number of 2nd-grade classes has decreased compared to last year, so she can’t make many friends."

Mr. Lee, who has a 3rd-grade son, said, "Since it’s a small school, I’m not worried about (COVID-19) infection even if he goes to school. Remote classes don’t manage kids’ daily lives well, and especially since remote classes weren’t real-time and were only through EBS, it was sometimes overwhelming to help him."

Parents: "Hard to Concentrate in Remote Classes, Better to Attend School"

From this year, kindergarteners nationwide, 1st and 2nd graders, and 12th graders will attend school every day. The Ministry of Education allows kindergarteners and 1st and 2nd graders to be excluded from density limits up to level 2. The current social distancing level in the metropolitan area is level 2, and 1.5 in non-metropolitan areas, allowing up to two-thirds of all students to attend school in principle. Since 1st and 2nd graders are exempt from density limits, the range of attendance for other grades has also expanded. Seoul allows schools discretion to have 7th graders attend school every day. The Ministry of Education and metropolitan/provincial education offices have secured quarantine supplies such as one thermometer per class, two hand sanitizers, and two health masks per student, and deployed about 9,000 quarantine personnel and 250 health support instructors in time for the new semester.

A survey by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education found that 7 out of 10 parents of elementary and middle school students support daily attendance. They cited reasons such as "adapting to school life" and "improving basic academic skills" as reasons for easing attendance restrictions. The main reason for opposition was "difficulty maintaining social distancing in schools."

On the morning of the 2nd, a homeroom teacher at Poi Elementary School in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, is measuring the temperature of students who came to school on the first day of the semester. Photo by Joint Press Corps

Due to prolonged remote classes during COVID-19, younger students especially lost opportunities to make friends. A parent of an elementary student said, "During the vacation, we sent her to academies, but since it was mostly private or one-on-one lessons, she had no chance to meet friends. I didn’t see her contacting friends even during the break, and I’m worried because she doesn’t even know how to make friends despite feeling lonely." Another elementary school parent expressed concern, "My child says Zoom classes are more comfortable than school or academies, and since she has no friends to contact or hang out with, we have to pay attention to her social relationships."

On the morning of the 2nd, students attending school on the first day of the new semester at Poi Elementary School in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, are holding an opening ceremony through a video./Photo by Joint Press Corps

COVID-19 spread has not yet stopped, and with about 400 confirmed cases daily, the possibility of infection occurring within schools cannot be ruled out. A parent of an elementary student in Incheon said, "Last year, except for vacations, my child attended school for just over two months, but infections are still steadily occurring, so I’m worried," adding bitterly, "Nothing has changed since last year." A parent of a 1st grader living in Gyeonggi Province said, "If it weren’t for COVID-19, I would have prepared for the new semester with excitement, but since confirmed cases are not decreasing, being forced to attend school is frustrating. I’m considering whether to have my child do home study even if it counts as an absence."

If social distancing criteria change this month, confusion among parents regarding attendance standards is also expected. Lee Sang-soo, Director of School Innovation Support at the Ministry of Education, said, "If social distancing criteria change, we are discussing with health authorities to provide about a week of preparation time."