COVID-19  •  Membres

Operations of Lycée International Xavier amidst relaxation of social distancing

Interview of Bruno Jérôme Pinot, Headmaster of the Lycée International Xavier

Before the relaxation of social distancing, what actions your school put in place?

Due to the risk of infection of Covid-19, the Korean Ministry of Education announced on March 2nd that schools would not open as scheduled and after that date the reopening of schools was postponed several times. By following the directives of the Korean government and the French embassy, Lycée International Xavier (LIX) remained closed and delayed its physical reopening, which was initially March 9th after its winter break. Due to these circumstances, LIX started a distance education program including online classes and assignments for primary, middle and high school students so they can continue their studies at home. Since the distance education program is new to everyone, this exceptional situation has required great adaptability by the students, the teachers, as well as the parents. In order to make the distance education program effective, LIX has tried to take into account the students’ and parents’ opinions. Moreover, the teachers have been trying to use several online teaching techniques to offer high-quality online classes which are engaging, effective and interactive.

With the relaxation of social distancing, what is your plan on the schooling of students while preventing the spread of the virus?

However, with the relaxation of social distancing, the Korean government has decided to reopen schools gradually. With the approval of the French embassy, the Korean government, and the parents, LIX has reopened some classes and is trying to reopen all its classes as soon as possible while considering governmental directives, parental concerns and LIX’s circumstances. The relaxation of social distancing does not mean the Covid-19 crisis is over. Therefore, LIX has reopened while applying Covid-19 guidelines. Only the concerned students whose classes have been restarted and LIX personnel are allowed to come to school. Following the prescribed measures is mandatory for everyone. These measures include wearing a mask, bringing a filled-out self-diagnosis sheet, having one’s temperature checked throughout the day, disinfecting one’s hands and keeping a distance of 1m to 1,50m between people. These measures ensure safety and prevent the spread of the virus. The distance education programs will continue until all the classes reopen. As the situation of Covid-19 is unpredictable, LIX is trying to find the best solution according to the circumstances to meet everyone’s needs.