First graders of elementary schools across the nation will be allowed to take in-person classes almost every weekday from Monday as the government eased attendance caps for schools.

According to the educational community, the attendance cap – previously set at one-third in kindergartens, elementary and middle schools, and two-thirds in high schools – will be adjusted to two-thirds for all schools from Monday.

The Education Ministry announced the decision last Monday in line with eased social distancing guidelines and gave a week for schools to prepare for the change.

Schools should follow the revised caps in principle, but will be allowed to adjust the caps themselves depending on classroom density and the coronavirus situation in their region. 

Schools with high classroom density and those in the metro region should strictly follow the two-thirds cap, but first graders of elementary schools in Seoul and Incheon will be allowed to go to school every day Monday through Friday to help them adjust to school life.

Some elementary schools in Gyeonggi Province will allow first and second graders to attend offline classes four or five days a week.