S. Korean Education Ministry imposes new guidelines for younger students nationwide

We begin with the latest announcement from the Education Ministry this morning.
It has announced new guidelines to support in-person classes for students who are among the lower grades of elementary schools as well as those who are attending special education schools.
We have our Choi Won-jong on the line for us. Won-jong, fill us in.

Yes, Mark.
Just less than an hour ago, South Korea’s Education Ministry announced new guidelines for reopening schools particularly for younger students who are in the first, second and third grades of elementary school.
The ministry said Tuesday that the government will assign nearly 2-thousand contract teachers for classes of more than 30 students to provide basic educational support for those in need during future in-person classes.
The ministry also said it will provide more support for special education schools.
And it is bringing in AI technology as a new learning tool to help schools resume more individual learning in subjects such as math, Korean, and English, starting next semester.
The government is also planning to hire professional counseling teachers who can visit schools frequently to provide emotional support for these younger students.
Mark, the government is also expanding care services such as after-school care for students at elementary schools nationwide , hoping to reach more than 459-thousand students.
So Mark, overall.. it’s a part of the government’s new plan to get these younger students back at in-person classes as a step toward getting life back to normal.
That’s all I have you right now back to you Mark.