Under the Provincial Office of Education(POE)’s plan to have all schools run face-to-face classes beginning with the fall semester, a number of schools are instructing with full attendance.
With much anticipation for a smooth role out of the semester, the POE is increasing the number of quarantine workers and devices to strengthen preventive measures such as having different grades leave school at different times.
Todd Thacker reports.
Report
Middle school students arrive for the first day of the fall semester after just two weeks of summer vacation.
One by one students wearing masks enter the school, getting their temperature checked in the process.
Under the Provincial Office of Education’s plan, all school children will be able to get face-to-face instruction during the fall semester.
To reduce contact and the risk of COVID-19 infections among students, morning arrival times will be staggered by grade.
Students will wear masks and their desks arranged further apart.
In the previous semester, schools had been allowed to offer in-person teaching full-time, with attendance capped at two thirds.
During this fall semester, every student will be back in school, necessitating even more careful disease prevention protocols.
The number of school workers in charge of COVID-19 prevention measures has been increased from 10 to 15, and electronic thermometers are installed at every entrance of school buildings.
Lunch time has been extended from 60 to 90 minutes.
To maintain a safe distance between students, each middle school grade has different lunch hours and a limit of 300 students in the cafeteria.
Protective screens are installed on each table.
Most teachers and workers at the school have received COVID-19 vaccinations.
The PoE’s plan is to ensure that elementary, middle and high school students can physically interact with teachers and classmates this semester.
About 20 large schools that are currently allowed to offer in-person teaching full-time, though with attendance capped at two thirds, will make a decision on dropping their attendance limits after consultations with the PoE.
As the pandemic’s fourth wave arrives on Jeju’s shores, all eyes are on local schools and a trouble-free upcoming academic semester.
Todd Thacker, KCTV