About two-point-four million students will return to school on Wednesday amid lingering concerns about the continued spread of the novel coronavirus.
The Education Ministry said in the second step of the country's phased school reopening, second-year high school students, third-year middle school students and first and second graders in elementary schools are returning to classrooms, as well as kindergarten students.
Last week, some 440-thousand high school seniors returned to school, attending every day to prepare for the national university entrance exam slated for November.
However, schools will take various steps to keep distance among the lower grade students and minimize class sizes by alternating school days for different classes.
The ministry will deploy about 30-thousand people to support efforts that ensure students properly practice social distancing rules.
It also decided to increase the number of permissible absent days so that students can stay at home without worrying about school attendance.
Meanwhile, the reopening of around 450 schools across the nation, including kindergartens, has been postponed after several children and some teachers tested positive for COVID-19.