Seniors at middle and high schools across the nation will begin the 2020 academic year with online classes Thursday following repeated postponements due to the novel coronavirus.

The Education Ministry announced last month that the new academic year for elementary, middle and high schools will begin gradually with online classes to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

After preparations for a week, middle and high school students in their third and final year will start online Thursday. 

Online classes will open on April 16 for first and second graders at middle and high schools and fourth through sixth graders at elementary schools. First to third graders at elementary schools will receive remote education starting April 20.

The ministry offers three options for distance learning: interactive real-time education; Education Broadcast Service lectures or prerecorded lectures; or giving assignments as an alternative to online classes. 

The e-learning classes require digital devices such as computers, tablets or smartphones, but the ministry estimated about 223-thousand students do not have such devices. 

The ministry has secured some of the necessary devices and plans to distribute them to middle and high school seniors first.