Bilingly Reporter Comments(0) Published on Dec. 16, 2022, 5:45 p.m.

Education ministry eases guidance on coronavirus measures for school lunches

The education ministry on Tuesday updated its issued guidance to boards of education across the country, saying students can have conversations during school lunch if appropriate coronavirus measures are taken.

The notification followed the deletion from the government’s basic COVID-19 policy of a phrase seeking “mokushoku,” or silent eating and drinking, in principle.

The term mokushoku, introduced following the spread of the novel coronavirus, has not been used in the ministry’s hygiene management manual for schools. In reality, however, the mokushoku rule has been in place at schools around the country as the ministry called on schools to ensure that students do not sit face-to-face or talk loudly during school lunch to prevent droplets from spreading.

Still, an increasing number of local governments are relaxing the mokushoku rule during school lunch and urging the central government to review the manual as the infection situation is relatively improving, claiming that such restrictions could adversely affect the development of children.

In the latest notice, the ministry said that it is possible for students to have conversations during school lunch if appropriate measures in terms of seating arrangements and ventilation, for example, are taken.

It also asked local governments to give school lunch-related guidance and instructions based on the infection situation and other circumstances in each region.