Editor’s note: ‘From the archives’ is an occasional section in which we republish an old article from The Golden Dragon to look back upon the school’s past. The original article was written by Heechan Lee on April 21, 2020 and can be read on our old website.
Most schools around the world are likely to remain closed for the rest of April and into May. According to UNESCO, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted around 91% of the world’s student population. Schools in the US and Europe are also closed, with states such as Massachusetts and Colorado closing schools until the end of the academic year.
The South Korean government announced today that schools will be shut throughout the rest of the month. The Ministry of Education will collect expert and parent opinions during the first week of May and determine whether schools should reopen. While South Korea is being praised as a successful example of containing the coronavirus, many are still sceptical about ending social distancing. Environments such as schools are optimal for the spread of the virus
The decision also impacts TCIS, and it has been confirmed that cyber classes will continue until May 5. It is undecided whether offline classes will resume in May. However, due to the government’s policy, it is likely that the closure will be extended.
While the school administration is taking actions to keep the morale high, it is hard to ignore the rising tensions and frustrations among the student body. This week, STUCO collected the opinions of seniors on the final exams, which are likely to be done online, and sent it to Mrs. Smith and Mr. Hay. There is even discussion among parents to completely cancel the exams and let the 12th graders graduate early.
Without a doubt, this year has been an unprecedented one. The actions of governments and individual civilians will decide whether this summer will be unusual as well.