Education authorities in Seoul have set guidelines on temporarily closing schools amid growing public concern about the rapid spread of influenza A (H1N1) among young students.
Under the guidelines, which were made with the help of medical experts, principals at elementary and secondary schools in Seoul can decide to close a class when 10 percent of its students are confirmed to have contracted the new flu virus or 25 percent are suspected of having been infected.
Five more Koreans died from the influenza A virus over the weekend, raising the country's death toll to 40. Since the first local outbreak in May, the new flu has forced the temporary closure of schools and delayed public gatherings. More than 400 schools across the country remain closed as the new flu is highly contagious among children.
The guidelines say if more than two classes in a certain grade are closed, all students in the same year must stay at home. If more than two grades of students have their classes suspended, the school is allowed to shutdown.
Also, if a district has over 30 percent of its schools close because of the flu, all schools in the district can be closed after Seoul's top educator discusses the matter with school headmasters, parents' groups and health authorities there.
Elementary schools and kindergartens can close their doors for up to seven days, while middle and high schools can close for a maximum of five days.
However, kindergartens and schools that have students vulnerable to the virus, including disabled children, can suspend a class even when they don't meet the guidelines. "Ordinary schools as well don't need to necessarily follow the guidelines. Closure of schools is possible depending on the decision of headmasters or school boards," said an official from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. Schools have also been ordered to cancel or delay any kind of social events. In addition, the education office plans to tightly supervise private cram schools or hagwon.
In the meantime, health authorities are raising their alert level for the flu virus to the highest level since the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs adjusted it to the second-highest level last July.
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archaeologist17 (125.140.241.96)
11-02-2009 17:47
again westerners who are not experts ineducational management try to force their ways on others. the korean authorities have made a decision and it is a wise one, the principals know their students and their situation best, they shoul dmake the call.
idiotdetector (124.0.211.238)
11-02-2009 15:23
why doesn't the head of the department of education for the whole of Korea..just shut down every educational institute for two weeks..?Maybe they could then take credit for acting in a timely and socially responsible fashion..
donnieboy48 (122.153.192.82)
11-02-2009 13:24
It is just this easy...kid comes to school sick, send them home for 2 weeks...if they go to hagwons, shut down the hagwon...they are just money grubbers anyway...
baba (125.246.243.2)
11-02-2009 12:44
Principals are no health experts,therefore, matter of health should be left up to health professionals. I agree, though, that school closure is pointless if hagwons continue operating. The government should order ALL schools and hagwons closed for a couple of weeks until the worst infection period is over. Otherwise, EVERY STUDENT will get the flu!
donnieboy48 (122.153.192.82)
11-02-2009 10:30
This way the school Education authorities in Seoul don't have to accept any critism...
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