In May of last year, students take off their masks while relaying at an athletic meet held at Geumhwa Elementary School in Seodaemun-gu. Reporter Seong Dong-hoon
The seven pandemics continued and the COVID-19 crisis, which lasted for the past three years, had a profound impact on the education field. Non-face-to-face classes have become routine and have caused several problems. First of all, students’ grades fell because of the lack of classes in school. Expenditures on private education by elementary, middle, and high school students to make up for this have soared every year, reaching a record high of 26 trillion won last year. Corona 19 not only increased students’ dependence on private education, but also deepened the academic gap and inequality.
Of course, it has adverse effects on physical health and emotional stability. It is because the opportunity to play, talk, and empathize with peers has decreased due to being ‘home-cocked’. Life dependent on smartphones also reinforced this phenomenon. According to the results of student health examinations by the Ministry of Education, three out of 10 elementary, middle, and high school students were overweight or obese last year due to a decrease in physical activity due to the COVID-19 crisis. This is the highest figure in the last 5 years. One in four elementary school students (27%) felt more depressed or anxious than before COVID-19, and there was also a survey in which 12% of middle and high school students responded that they had felt depressed or anxious for more than 7 days in the last 2 weeks. .
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education decided to operate this first semester as a ‘stepping stone semester’ for post-COVID-19 daily recovery. It means focusing on resolving the educational gap between students, emotional vacuum, and reduced physical activity during the COVID-19 period. They have come up with several plans to take care of students’ mental health and support physical recovery, including making school sports days a neighborhood party like in the past. In addition, it was decided to expand psychological counseling and treatment for students, help create a peer culture, and encourage small-scale sports activities in clubs.
In March of last year, Omicron mutations were rampant, leading to an uneasy school start, and the trend continued until the end of the year. This year is the first time in four years that the burden of Corona 19 is relieved and the new year’s new semester is celebrated. Universities are no different. Face-to-face entrance ceremonies and club recruitment are unfamiliar as if this is the first time. It’s awkward not only for students, but also for parents. You may be embarrassed or lost at the beginning of this semester by the sudden appearance of something you have never experienced or forgotten. Okay. You just need to stop worrying and get back to your daily life one step at a time. The spring of 2023 is everyone’s stepping stone toward daily recovery.