Remote Classes Start from the 14th... Possible from the 12th by Region
Partial Attendance Allowed for Final Exams, Vaccine Information, and Grade Checks
Academies Must Close After 10 PM, Seating with Two Seats Apart Also Required
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye is announcing academic operation measures related to the elevation of social distancing to Level 4 in the metropolitan area at the Government Seoul Office on the 9th.
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] As social distancing in the Seoul metropolitan area is raised to Level 4, from the 14th, kindergartens and elementary, middle, and high schools in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon will switch from in-person classes to remote learning. Exceptional in-person classes will be allowed under the premise of minimizing density for vaccine guidance, end-of-term grade checks, and final exam attendance.
On the 9th, the Ministry of Education announced that due to the metropolitan area's social distancing level being raised to Level 4 starting the 12th, kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools in the metropolitan area will switch to remote learning.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye stated, "Although the Level 4 social distancing will be applied from the 12th, a grace period is set for preparation of the academic schedule and to minimize care gaps, so adjustments to school density and academic operation plans will be applied from the 14th."
From Level 4, full remote learning will be implemented, but small-scale face-to-face guidance is possible for special schools and students needing basic academic support or those who have recently entered the country.
In-person attendance allowed with minimized density during final exams, vaccine guidance, and grade checks
The Ministry of Education decided to allow in-person attendance under the premise of minimizing density if unavoidable during remote learning.
If final exams are ongoing or scheduled, students may attend school in a limited manner according to attendance, evaluation, and record guidelines to take exams. As of the 9th, 95% of middle schools and 97% of high schools have conducted final exams.
Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "Some schools with scheduled final exams can use limited in-person days according to the 2021 attendance, evaluation, and record guidelines to attend during written exam periods, minimizing confusion caused by written exams during remote learning."
She added, "Ahead of the high school senior vaccine inoculations starting on the 19th, face-to-face guidance is inevitably needed for prior guidance and education on vaccination precautions and end-of-term grade checks. We will allow limited face-to-face guidance under conditions that minimize school density by separating times and routes by grade and class."
Grades 1-2 receive EBS classes... Elementary and after-school care to be operated
Elementary school grades 1 and 2, who were originally scheduled for full in-person attendance this semester, will receive remote classes via EBS broadcasts. The Ministry of Education is preparing to provide learning kits to grades 1 and 2 students receiving remote classes in the metropolitan area.
The Ministry of Education will operate elementary care equivalent to emergency care and after-school programs for young children needing care in kindergartens to prevent care gaps during the Level 4 escalation and expansion of remote learning.
Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "We are preparing to maintain about 10 students per classroom from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. based on school conditions and care demand, similar to the emergency care operation in the second semester last year, with schools and local communities preparing care operations accordingly."
Ministry of Education: Full in-person attendance for the second semester to be decided based on infectious disease trends
On the 8th, as the spread of COVID-19 intensifies mainly in the metropolitan area, students are attending school at an elementary school in Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@
The prospect of full in-person attendance in the second semester is uncertain. Full attendance is only possible if the metropolitan area is lowered to Level 2, so if infection trends are not controlled, expanding attendance is difficult. The Ministry of Education has no immediate plans to withdraw the full attendance policy.
Director Lee said, "We are preparing for full in-person attendance in the second semester, but when the plan was announced earlier, measures were taken to allow schools to gradually implement full attendance within about two weeks. We will carefully monitor infection trends and review the possibility of full attendance in the second semester."
Although middle and high school students have about one week and elementary students about two weeks until summer vacation, the Ministry of Education explains that switching to remote learning rather than early vacation causes less confusion in academic operations.
Lee Sang-soo, Director of the School Innovation Support Office at the Ministry of Education, said, "School members can decide on early vacation through the school operation committee depending on school circumstances, but to do so, schools must change the annual curriculum operation plan, so it is possible to finish the first semester academic operations with remote learning before vacation."
More concern over academies during vacation... Multi-use facilities operate until 10 p.m.
Although schools will conduct full remote learning, there are concerns that face-to-face classes at academies make it difficult to prevent spread. Academies are subject to the same standards as multi-use facilities and can operate until 10 p.m. However, from Level 3, seats must be spaced two seats apart.
Director Lee said, "Last year, some academies were recommended to conduct remote classes, and regarding this measure, we will coordinate with academy associations to ensure thorough quarantine so that academy classes can be conducted safely."
He also stated that the decision on whether to hold the September 1st College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) mock exam offline will be made based on infection trends. Vaccinations for high school seniors and staff will begin on the 19th, while vaccination plans for those under 18 have not yet been finalized.
Director Lee said, "We hope to maintain Level 2 or below stably before summer vacation ends to enable full attendance. Regarding the offline implementation of the September mock exam, we will inform based on future trends."
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