2.4 million students return to school amid new wave of infections

A mother and son, wearing face masks, kiss before the boy attends classes at Wolgok Elementary School in Seoul, Wednesday, when more students, including elementary grades 1 and 2, returned to school. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

More than 2 million additional students nationwide were allowed to return to school under the government's second phase of school reopening Wednesday, after an 87-day delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Ministry of Education, the students affected by the second phase were high school juniors, middle school seniors and elementary grades 1 and 2, in addition to kindergarten youngsters. The estimated number of students is 2.37 million.

The latest step comes after about 450,000 high school seniors were allowed to attend classes from May 20.

The resumption, however, has faced hurdles following the confirmation of infections among several teachers and students, Tuesday. One confirmed patient was a teacher at an elementary school in Bucheon.

According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40 new cases, the most in 49 days, were detected that day.

This has led more than 560 schools and kindergartens nationwide to postpone their reopening, with the number expected to rise further.

Parents are concerned about the spread of the virus, especially because the latest reopening involves younger students who may find it harder to follow quarantine and distancing guidelines.

“Schools, education offices and the ministry are consulting with the health authorities before deciding whether to postpone some reopening,” a ministry official said.

Amid the pervasive fear about potential cluster infections, schools were advised to choose the most appropriate measure among various options, including letting students attend school once a week, with the exception of high school seniors who will attend classes every day to prepare for the university entrance exam or employment.

In particular, the education ministry strongly advised schools in areas with more infections not to fill classrooms with more than two-thirds of students.

Students are required to go through temperature checks before attending classes, while their desks are spaced out. Distancing measures were also implemented in cafeterias.

Under the government's phased school reopening plan, schools are scheduled to resume classes for high school freshmen, middle school juniors and elementary grades 3 and 4, June 3.

Middle school freshmen and elementary grades 5 and 6 will return to school June 8.

In preparation for any further outbreak, the ministry has been operating emergency management, pledging to take prompt action, including running online classes again.