The campaigns have been replaced with promotional videos that were played during recess or voluntary activity sessions. (image: Yeongdong Office of Education)
CHEONGJU, June 12 (Korea Bizwire) — The landscape of student president elections at elementary schools has changed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As elementary schools began the new school year late on Monday, elections for student presidents, normally held in March, have just taken place.
Buyong Elementary School, located in Yeongdong County, North Chungcheong Province, collected votes on Thursday to elect the student council for grades four to six.
Normally, the election season would involve student candidates campaigning around school in the morning or during recess, a practice that was nowhere to be seen this year due to the coronavirus.
The campaigns have been replaced with promotional videos that were played during recess or voluntary activity sessions.
All campaign activities including speeches and engaging with voters before and after school have been cancelled.
“The elections for the student council ended quietly because of the coronavirus,” one teacher said. “We set up voting booths in separate locations to prevent physical contact.”
Students lined up as they maintained proper physical distancing from each other, wearing plastic gloves before voting at the booth. (image: Yeongdong Office of Education)
Yonghwa Elementary School in the same county carried out student elections without holding any campaign speeches.
The students watched videos made by the candidates before voting.
The voting booths were installed at the main entrance, where there was a proper amount of ventilation. Students lined up as they maintained proper physical distancing from each other, wearing plastic gloves before voting at the booth.
The schools followed guidelines put in place for the general elections held countrywide last April to limit any risk.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
