Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae says the government is drafting measures to ease the so-called “education-divide” including expanding real-time, interactive classes and strengthening the ability of teachers to manage online classes. 

Yoo made the remark in a meeting on Wednesday with regional education chiefs, addressing concerns over growing disparity in education levels between students who have rich parents and students who don’t. The COVID-19 outbreak is said to be worsening the situation as affluent parents can provide many other options for their children aside from remote school education during lockdowns. 

According to the ministry, despite the full-fledged introduction of the online education system amid the pandemic, less than 13 percent of schools nationwide are providing real-time, interactive classes. 

The minister also pledged to increase extracurricular programs at school for students with working parents and those who come from low-income households.