If a child goes to private school, it is important for parents to inform a local district office, so the government school will not have to keep a place. In some corners of the globe, school closures have sparked a fierce debate about whether pupils should repeat the academic year or continue distance learning. In 1996 only about five percent of Korea's high schools were coeducational. South Korea ordered schools to close from Tuesday in the capital Seoul and surrounding areas as it battles its worst outbreak of novel coronavirus since the pandemic began, surpassing the previous peak in February. “Many of us students have wanted to keep studying independently at the library while school is out, but all the libraries are closed.”. It is important to mention that South Korea education system was ranked top by PISA. Thousands of students had earlier on Wednesday returned to school as the country began easing virus restrictions. “It has been really exhausting to keep up with the unexpected delays and changes in schedule,” Jang lamented. A total of 251 schools in Bucheon have now been forced to close. More than 200 schools in South Korea have been forced to close just days after they re-opened, due to a new spike in virus cases. Kim, a teacher at a public elementary school who requested anonymity because she did not have permission to speak to the media told Al Jazeera she was not sure how her students would fare once classes started in late April. … It's possible that South Korea will continue to see a rise in cases as it continues to test thousands of employees from the centre. SEOUL - South Korea ordered schools to close from Tuesday in the capital Seoul and surrounding areas as it battles its worst outbreak of novel coronavirus since the pandemic began, surpassing the previous peak in February. Students and teachers must wear masks and some schools instal plastic partitions at desks The latest revision, introduced in 2015, is being phased in over several years and will be fully implemented by 2020. After primary school, children move onto middle school, known as Jung Haggyo, and then High School (Godeung Haggyo). Will Biden cancel $1.7 trillion in US student loan debt? The latest revision, introduced in 2015, is being phased in over several years and will be fully implemented by 2020. It sounds pretty comfortable though. South Korea closed hundreds of schools that had reopened days earlier — and postponed the opening of many others — after a spike in cases of the novel coronavirus. Universities around the country have begun distance learning but have faced technical difficulties. Read about our approach to external linking. © 2020 BBC. Others couldn’t hand in their assignment files or videos.”. .css-q4by3k-IconContainer{display:none;height:1em;width:1em;vertical-align:-0.125em;margin-right:0.25em;}play.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}Coronavirus: Scottish student on life in South Korea during the pandemic, playCoronavirus: How South Korea 'crushed' the curve, Coronavirus: How South Korea is teaching empty classrooms, Coronavirus in South Korea: How 'trace, test and treat' may be saving lives, US reaches long awaited deal for Covid-19 aid. Most schools operate year-round, but their peak hiring months tend to be February and March. Last week, schools began to reopen, five weeks later than scheduled. The number of students in higher education had risen from 100,000 in 1960 to 1.3 million in 1987, and the proportion of college-age students in higher-education institutions was second only to the United States. South Korea was the first country in the world to provide high-speed internet access from every primary, junior, and high school. Recent weeks, however, have seen new clusters emerge, including one linked to a man who visited five nightclubs and bars in Seoul's nightlife district of Itaewon earlier this month. The school calendar has two semesters, the first extending from March through July and the second from September through February. In the latest results, South Korea ranked second in reading (just behind Shanghai, China who participated as a city), fourth in math and sixth in science. According to Yonhap News, some 266 cases have been traced to the Itaewon cluster. Some lecturers have even used video functions on KakaoTalk  – the country’s most popular messaging app – to communicate with students. The School Year in South Korea. “I have been thinking about whether the government can come up with a better solution than this, but this feels like the best choice for now,” Jang Eun-ki, an 18-year-old student at Wonjong high school, told Al Jazeera. “When I compare people taking classes online versus face-to-face, I am sure those taking online classes are naturally less focused,” Noh said. However, at age 6 their child must move on to 6 years compulsory chodeung-hakgyo elementary education. (Bachelor of Laws). She did not want to reveal her full name as she did not have permission to speak to the media. Many teachers lament lack of personal interaction and are not fully adept with use of digital tools. 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