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Schools to Open Online Starting April 9

Teachers prepare for online classes in Daejeon on Tuesday. /Yonhap

Schools across the country will open in staggered order starting only with online classes for seniors at middle and high schools on April 9, the Education Ministry said Tuesday.

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The government had previously eyed opening schools on April 6.

Grades 4 to 8 and 10 and 11 will start online classes on April 16, and 1st to 3rd grades at elementary schools on April 20.

It remains unclear when Korea's 5.4 million schoolkids will be able to return to their classrooms. Kindergartens and nursery schools will stay closed until the coronavirus epidemic eases.   

The ministry said it will look into opening them after April 20. Teachers have complained that they are not prepared to offer online courses on this unprecedented scale.

Some also expressed concerns over the effectiveness of online classes and educational gaps by school or region depending on availability of distance learning programs.

As the academic year is delayed, the college entrance exam has been provisionally moved to Dec. 3 this year, two weeks later than usual.

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