S. KOREA'S 2020 ACADEMIC YEAR STARTS ONLINE

[Anchor Lead]

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, schools have lost vitality this time of the year when normally campuses are filled with excitement for a new semester. Education authorities on Monday announced that South Korea will start the 2020 academic year online as physically attending school will be difficult right away.

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The opening of the school semester was postponed 3 times and finally, it will kick off, but via online classes, from April 9. Middle school third graders and high school seniors who are the most pressed with time due to the college entrance exam schedule will be the first to begin the semester online. First and second grade middle and high school students, as well as fourth, fifth and sixth graders in elementary school will start taking online classes one week later from April 16. First, second and third grade elementary students will be the last to follow suit on April 20. Kindergartens and childcare centers, for which an online operation is impossible, will continue to stay closed. The education ministry said that depending on the situation with different regions and individual schools, it will also review the option of carrying out online and offline classes side by side. Also to ensure that remote learning is stably implemented, the government has provided schools with related guidelines as well as e-books.

[Soundbite] YOO EUN-HAE(MINISTER OF EDUCATION & DEPUTY PM) : "Assignments that are already under way and online contents such as EBS lecture videos are all acknowledged as remote classes."

However, students are burdened by the thought of taking online classes and doing assignments without teachers' help.

[Soundbite] PARK JOO-BIN(MIDDLE SCHOOL 3RD GRADER) : "Handouts take the place of classes now and I have a hard time understanding and solving problems."

With the overall academic schedule delayed, the College Scholastic Ability Test required for university entrance is also being pushed back. The CSAT will be held in December for the first time ever and test scores will be distributed on the 23rd of that month. The deadline for compiling school records on student grades and conduct has also been postponed by 16 days to September 16. The latest changes regarding university entrance will be announced in more detail later this month after consultations with various schools.