Notice of Guidelines for Attendance of Combined Classes

To the students and faculty staff of Ehle Institute

Ehle Institute
Principal Daisaku Hagihara

  Ehle Institute has conducted online and face-to-face combined classes since June, and students who wish to study only online due to fear of the coronavirus have been allowed to do so. However, the spread of coronavirus is currently slowing down, strategies have been implemented, and the economic situation is starting to return to normal. As for educational institutions, elementary schools, junior high schools, and high schools have returned to face-to-face classes. Universities have also started to return to face-to-face classes albeit with some restrictions. Furthermore, since October, it has again become possible for new foreign students to enter Japan.

 On the other hand, at Ehle Institute, students who state that they are afraid of the coronavirus has easily been able to attend online classes only. By studying online at home for a long period, we fear the students will be affected negatively. Also, many students only attend online classes, while still continuing to go to their part-time jobs.

 Because of this situation, we hereby announce that for a grace period we will not allow students without a special reason to attend online classes only, as well as the implementation of the following rules.

1. As a principle, students will come to school on their assigned days
2. Regardless of face-to-face class attendance, online class attendance will be allowed for the following reasons:

   ① The student has an illness or condition which could worsen by going outside, and therefore wish to study online. Permission is given after submission of a Letter of reason, as well as after checking with the student’s guardian. Without permission, attendance for online classes will not be allowed.
   The following students will be granted permission:
   Students with underlying diseases such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, respiratory disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), or students receiving dialysis, taking immunosuppressant drugs or anticancer drugs.

   ② Students with a fever of over 37.5 degrees Celsius, or when there is a suspicion of coronavirus infection, and the student has let their mentor know beforehand. If the student suspects having contracted the virus, the student is required to contact a public health center, undergo a PCR test, or take other proper measures. Test results and measurements that have been taken should be reported to the school. As for face-to-face classes, temperature checks by the entrance will be continued and persons with a fever of 37.5 degrees or above will not be allowed to enter the school.

3. The following situations will not be granted attendance. Misusing the rules could lead to expulsion.

   ① Students misusing the rules mentioned above multiple times to escape taking classes will be marked as absent. If the behavior does not end after being told several times, the school will contact the student’s guardian and then expel the student.

   ②Students who use the current situation to work more than 28 hours per week will be expelled due to violation of the law.

4. 4. Attitude during online classes

A reminder of the rules that have already been implemented since the start of the second semester,

① Students shall attend online classes in their own home, sitting at a desk with writing tools, notebooks, and textbooks ready in front of them.

② Students who do not respond after being called twice by the teacher during attendance call or when asked a question will be marked as absent.

③ When attending online classes, the student must hand in an online class report. If a report is not submitted, the student will be marked as absent. For students of the Japanese Language School Department, this rule will be implemented starting October 19^th, and for the other departments, this rule will be implemented starting November.

5. Devices and network environment

   ①There is a strong chance that combined online and face-to-face classes will become a long-term solution. Further, even if the current situation goes back to normal, online presence will continue to be a necessity for people all around the world. Please prepare a home network as well as a PC or a tablet. There is a limit to the productivity that can be achieved by just using a smartphone. Students who are unable to make preparations can rent a pocket Wi-Fi from school, as well as make use of the emergency loan-type scholarship offered by the school (will be announced soon)．

6. The rules mentioned above will be implemented on November 1^st.

We ask all students and faculty staff to please read through the above-announced guidelines which will be implemented on November 1^st.