The first day of strengthening quarantine of religious facilities… School starts tomorrow with some distance classes

[앵커]

Because social distancing has been strengthened again, today’s (19th) religious event was a little different from what it used to be.

Starting tomorrow (the 20th), all elementary, middle and high schools will stop attending school, and only some of them will return to school.

In parallel with distance learning.

This is reported by Hyo-jin Heo.

[리포트]

The church members gather one by one before the service time.

It is completely different from waiting in a long line when we started our step-by-step recovery.

According to the strengthened quarantine rules, if only those who have completed vaccinations attend, up to 70% of the total capacity can gather.

[심재홍/여의도순복음교회 남선교회 회장 : “정부 방침에 70%로 인해서 제한을 뒀기 때문에 지금 현재 저희 교인들이 제일 많이 들어오는 2부 예배 때는 거의 한 (좌석의) 40%나 50%밖에 안 들어왔습니다.”]

Another church, limited to 250 people, about a tenth of the number of seats, stopped small groups and meals.

The ward office has started checking whether the strengthened quarantine rules are being followed.

[윤은미/서울 노원구청 문화체육과 주무관 : “이번 점검은 참석 인원 확인, 출입자 명부작성 확인, 관리 확인, 그리고 신도 간 거리 유지 확인, 마스크 착용 여부 확인 등을 점검했습니다.”]

Starting tomorrow (the 20th), all elementary, middle, and high schools will stop attending school, and school attendance and distance learning will be conducted in parallel.

Elementary school 1st and 2nd graders and kindergarteners go to school every day, but 3rd and 6th graders attend classes at three-fourths of the quota and middle and high schools two-thirds of the quota.

In some areas, such as Seoul, fewer people go to school than the Ministry of Education has taken.

In some schools, the winter break begins earlier at the school’s discretion.

Parents are in a position of embarrassment.

[박재찬/서울시학부모연합 대표 : “전면 등교할 걸 예상하고 계획을 세우셨던 학부모님들이나 맞벌이 부부들 같은 경우에는 (정부가) 주말 앞두고 이 일을 알려주셔서 돌봄이 크게 문제가 되고 있습니다.”]

This measure will end at the time of each school’s winter vacation, but for now, there is no guarantee that school will return to normal during the winter vacation program and the new semester.

This is Hyojin Heo from KBS News.

Cinematographer: Yoon Seong-wook / Video Editing: Yoo Ji-young / Graphics: Kim Jeong-hyun