Survey by Assemblyman Kang Deuk-gu's Office of 390,000 Students, Parents, and Staff
43% Agree vs 46.8% Disagree on Voluntary Indoor Mask Use at Schools
Health Authorities Approach Cautiously... Education Sector "Uncertain of Effectiveness"
On the morning of the 4th, at an elementary school located in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, all students are wearing masks while attending school. Some children frequently touch their masks or pull them below their noses, seemingly uncomfortable. /Photo by Gong Byung-sun mydillon@
On the morning of the 4th, at an elementary school located in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, children gathered in front of the school gate as it was time to go to school. The children came in various ways, some walking alone and others holding their parents' hands, but all were wearing masks. This contrasted with the sight of adults gradually taking off their masks. The children also found the masks uncomfortable. They kept touching their masks with frowning expressions or pulling them down below their noses. A second-grade elementary student, A, who was waiting at the crosswalk, responded to the question of whether the mask felt suffocating by saying, "It’s suffocating! I want to take it off quickly in the classroom."
Since May, schools have resumed full in-person attendance and educational activities, but students are complaining about discomfort due to the indoor mask-wearing mandate.
According to a survey conducted by the office of Kang Deuk-gu, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, about 390,000 students, parents, and school staff responded that approximately 43% agreed with making indoor mask-wearing optional at schools. Meanwhile, 46.8% disagreed, showing a split in opinions on not wearing masks indoors at school. Among parents, the disagreement rate was over half at 53.8%, but among elementary students, agreement was 40.9% and disagreement 45.3%, showing a close divide. Middle and high school students showed more support, with 56.6% agreeing to remove masks.
Health authorities are cautious about lifting the indoor mask mandate. While the outdoor mask-wearing requirement was fully lifted on the 23rd of last month, indoor mask-wearing is still maintained. Lee Ki-il, the first chief coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCHQ), said, "An additional wave is expected in winter," and added, "We must prepare in advance and establish necessary measures until we overcome COVID-19."
The education sector hopes for a swift decision from health authorities. They are concerned about developmental delays and decreased concentration in students due to prolonged mask-wearing. Kang, a 37-year-old teacher at an elementary school in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, said, "Students complain about feeling suffocated while talking and attending classes with masks on," and added, "Children are already taking off masks and interacting with each other on the playground, so I don’t see the effectiveness of the indoor mask policy."
Earlier, the People Power Party requested the government to consider lifting the indoor mask mandate for infants and toddlers during a party-government council meeting on the 29th of last month. Joo Ho-young, the floor leader of the People Power Party, said, "Experts have expressed opinions that masks delay speech development in infants and negatively affect emotional and social development." Kang Deuk-gu also stated, "In line with global trends, health authorities, the Ministry of Education, and education offices should listen to the diverse voices of school members," and added, "We expect wise judgment and proactive measures from the education authorities for social discussion."
Jung Ik-jung, a professor in the Department of Social Welfare at Ewha Womans University, said, "It is natural for the education sector to follow the government’s quarantine measures," but also noted, "Young children may miss critical periods of language development because they cannot imitate mouth movements due to masks. We should consider gradually lifting quarantine measures starting with kindergartens and daycare centers."
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