We would like to announce that the following administrative notification regarding countermeasures against COVID-19 in schools issued by MEXT.
Contact:
The Office for a Professional Platform of Health and Hygiene Environment in Schools for Foreign Students provided by MEXT
TEL: 050-3187-8114 (a multilingual consultation service)
Email: hsfs@mediphone.jp
(Appendix)
Points regarding students who are worried about infection and want to be absent (Notification)
MEXT
Bureau of Elementary and Secondary Education,
School Curriculum Division
MEXT
Elementary and Secondary Education Bureau,
Health Education and Food Education (Shokuiku) Division
As we informed you in the " Revision of Basic Policies of Wearing Masks at Schools from New School Term (Notification)" (March 17, 2023 <5th year of Reiwa>), the wearing of masks in the new school term on and after April 1, 2023 “shall basically not be requested for children, students, teachers, and staff during school educational activities” and the "COVID-19 Infection Control Manuals and Guidelines for Schools" (hereinafter referred to as the "the Infection Control Manuals") has been revised.
As we begin our new school year, under a situation where revision was made on the principle of wearing masks at schools, we wish to reiterate the following information regarding the handling of matters dealing with children whose guardian(s) do not want them to attend school due to infection concerns, and how to proceed with the lessons during periods when students are unable to attend school. Necessary information is already provided in the Infection Control Manuals, etc., and we wish you to deal with this matter appropriately.
Important Notice
1. How to deal with children whose guardian(s) do not want them to attend school due to infection concerns.
When guardian(s) requests that they do not want their children to attend school due to infection concerns, and "the principal decides that there are reasonable grounds, such as when the student is living with an elderly person or a family member with an underlying medical condition, and there is no other way to cope with the problem,” it is feasible to deal with the problem with flexibility (as have been the situation in the past) not counting them as absences in the Student Record.
（Refer to the Infection Control Manuals Chapter 2-4 (2)）
2. Using ICT and other study guidance for students who are unable to attend school due to unavoidable circumstances.
For students who cannot attend school due to unavoidable circumstances as described in item 1. above, it is important to ensure that they do not fall significantly behind in their lessons, to maintain regular routine in their lives, and to maintain good relationship between the students and the school.
Especially, when students are unable to attend school due to unavoidable circumstances for a certain period of time, it is important to take measures to ensure that communication with students is not interrupted and that learning does not stop, by using simultaneous interactive online system and similar methods.
(Refer to the Infection Control Manuals Chapter 4-4)
<Reference Material>
Revision of Basic Policies of Wearing Masks at Schools from New School Term (Notification) (March 17, 2023 <5th year of Reiwa>)