Ministry of Education to Gradually Lift Mask-Wearing Mandate
Mask Mandate Lifted for Class-Level PE Classes and Events from May 2
Mask Mandate Also Lifted for School Trips and Experiential Learning from May 23
Principals May Require Masks if Infection Risk is High During School Trips
On the 29th, a citizen was seen walking through downtown Seoul holding a mask in their hand. On the same day, the government announced at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting that the outdoor mask mandate would be lifted starting May 2. However, the mask-wearing requirement will remain in place for gatherings of 50 or more people, such as assemblies, events, performances, and sports game viewings, where the risk of infection is high due to crowd density and shouting. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] From May, the mask-wearing mandate will be lifted during school physical education classes and events, as well as outdoor playtime at kindergartens.
The Ministry of Education announced on the 29th that, following the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH)'s adjustment plan for outdoor mask-wearing mandates, the mask-wearing requirement will be gradually lifted starting from the 2nd of next month.
First, from the 2nd, the mask-wearing mandate will be lifted during outdoor playtime at the kindergarten class level, and during physical education classes and events at the class level in elementary, middle, high, and special schools.
From the 23rd of next month, the mask-wearing mandate will also be lifted during experiential learning and school trips.
However, school principals may recommend mask-wearing outdoors during experiential learning or school trips if they judge the risk of infection to be high, reflecting the opinions of school members.
The CDSCH decided that from the 2nd of next month, outdoor mask-wearing will be mandatory only for gatherings with 50 or more attendees, and for spectators of performances, sports facilities, and amusement facilities with 50 or more people. This includes concert halls, sports stadiums, amusement parks, water parks, and winter sports facilities.
Outside of these cases, the outdoor mask-wearing mandate will be lifted. However, mask-wearing is recommended in situations where it is difficult to maintain a continuous distance of at least 1 meter from others (for 15 minutes or more), or in places where droplets are heavily generated, such as shouting or choir singing.
Normal school attendance will be implemented from May, and school trips and overnight experiential learning will also be permitted. All schools nationwide will operate education recovery programs and strengthen support for students' mental health healing.
The Ministry of Education explained, "Various educational activities, clubs, and school sports clubs will also be revitalized," adding, "Students' field experience education, which had been restrained for over two years, will expand."
On the first day of normal attendance, May 2nd, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye will participate in the Children's Day commemorative sports event at Geumhwa Elementary School in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye said, "Through normal attendance, students are expected to regain not only their right to learn but also opportunities for emotional communication with friends," and added, "I hope that, based on the dedication and trust of school members, we will work together to ensure the smooth restoration of daily school life."
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