고3, 클럽발 감염에도 이달 20일 등교 추진…자가진단 시작
Although a number of COVID-19 cases linked to Seoul's nightlife hotspot of Itaewon was found in high school students, the education ministry is not considering postponing the back to school date for high school seniors, just yet.
Eum Ji-young has more.
The education ministry said Thursday that it is not considering any further postponement of the opening of schools for students in their third and final year of high school.
They will start on May 20th, as currently scheduled, despite the recent surge in new cases.
"Ahead of the reopening of schools, the top priority for the ministry is students' safety as we work to make an effective education curriculum."
The education ministry is asking high school seniors to test themselves for COVID-19 at home. Those with a temperature higher than 37.5 degrees Celsius or with other suspected symptoms are not allowed to go to school.
Students are losing precious time to get ready for the college entrance exam coming up at the end of the year.
The ministry said, however, that the test's difficulty level will not be adjusted and will be similar to previous years.
The test was originally set for November 19th, but has been postponed for 2 weeks until December 3rd.
Meanwhile, Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hae is recommending that parents not send their children to private educational insitutes, known in Korea as hakwons.
The virus was spread recently to students at multiple hakwons by a teacher who caught it visiting clubs in Itaewon.
If hakwons do hold classes, then she urged local governments to carry out stricter quarantine inspections on them.
"We strongly advise all private educational institutes to comply with the quarantine measures and stick with online classes if they choose to hold classes."
Hakwons had been looking forward to the new, relaxed system of "distancing in daily life," but now they'll have to practice full-scale social distancing.
Eum Ji-young Arirang News.
