South Korea will gradually begin to re-open schools from May 13, the country’s education minister Yoo Eun-hae said on Monday.

Year Three students in high schools will be the first to return to classes, allowing them to make career and college decisions, she said. Other schools, including kindergartens, elementary schools and middle schools, will be fully opened by June 1.

As a precautionary measure, students and teachers should wear masks and keep ample distance from each other, and schools should keep desk surfaces clean and windows open, to ensure good ventilation, she said.

The minister added that anyone with suspected coronavirus symptoms must have their health checked at designated medical centers. Schools with confirmed cases will be immediately shut to prevent the spread of Covid-19, she said.

Social distancing measures relaxed: South Korea will relax its strict social distancing rules, starting May 6, as the number of new coronavirus cases has remained low, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Sunday. The measures has been in effect since March 22.