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All municipal schools in Hiroshima are currently closed and were scheduled to reopen on May 6, 2020. However, on April 27, the Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education (BoE) decided to extend the closure of prefectural schools until the end of May, and advised all municipal boards of education to consider measures similar to those taken by the Prefectural BoE.
In line with the Prefectural BoE’s advisory and taking into account the rate of infection of COVID-19 in Hiroshima City, the Hiroshima Municipal BoE has decided to extend the closure of all municipal schools until the end of May.
1. Regarding Extended School Closures
School closures will be extended to May 31, 2020 (Sun) for all municipal kindergartens, elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools, Hiroshima Municipal Secondary School, and the special needs school.
2. Regarding School Attendance Days
The Hiroshima Municipal BoE considers it necessary to specify days for children to attend school so that schools can monitor student health and keep track of their progress as they study at home. Times and dates will be specified after thorough consideration of the national state of emergency and the infection rate in the city.
3. Educational Support During School Closures
(1) Lesson/Homework Assignments and Distribution: For each subject, schools will assign and distribute lessons/homework based on textbooks and other resources for the new school year (already distributed) which the students can do at home. We suggest parents/guardians have children set daily schedules to maintain study habits and their daily routine during school closures.
(2) Using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to Supplement Remote Learning
(a) Where and when possible, schools should implement the following initiatives and strategies:
i. Introduce educational support systems that make use of interactive communication tools
These systems can be used to:
ii. Make video-based study materials for YouTube and post them on school websites and other platforms
iii. Provide printouts and hard copies of the information sent via electronic educational support systems to those who cannot access the internet at home. Schools should also provide support to these students such as allowing them to use school computer rooms as much as possible while keeping a limit to numbers and the amount of time allotted to students.
(b) Introduce Pre-Existing Study Resources
(3) Monitoring Student Study Progress and Health
Teachers will monitor students’ home study progress and health via home visits, telephone calls, or other methods. Regarding psychological care, schools will implement measures in conjunction with school nurses and counselors as necessary.
4. Support Services for Parents/Guardians During School Closures
Special exemptions for parents/guardians who cannot take time off from work until May 6 will continue during this extended period of closures.
(1) Special exemptions for parents/guardians who cannot take time off from work
Students whose parents/guardians cannot take time off from work, and who cannot be left alone at home, can still go to school/kindergarten. Appropriate measures will be taken to ensure your child’s health; however, we ask that parents/guardians do all they can to avoid using these services. To reduce social interaction as much as possible, we ask parents/guardians to work with their employers if possible to secure time off from work so that they can look after their children at home.
(2) Household Support by Students During School Closures