Jeonnam Province, Reforming Childcare Support System for Daycare Centers

Additional 'Extended Education' Provided When Needed Starting Next Month

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province announced on the 28th that it will reorganize and implement the childcare support system for daycare centers starting next month to improve the quality of childcare services.

Until now, the childcare support system at daycare centers was operated by dividing into full-day classes (9:00 AM to 7:30 PM) and customized classes (9:00 AM to 3:00 PM), but from next month, basic childcare (9:00 AM to 4:00 PM) will be provided to all children, and extended childcare (4:00 PM to 7:30 PM) will be additionally provided for those who need long hours of care.

Through this, daycare centers will be able to assign a dedicated teacher separately from 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM, so the homeroom teacher who also handles administrative tasks is expected to be relieved from excessive workload.

The province plans to dispatch substitute teachers to minimize childcare gaps when childcare teachers attend training or take leave, and also plans to increase the hiring of assistant teachers and relax support standards to guarantee teachers' break times.

Along with this, night extended classes, 24-hour childcare, holiday childcare, and hourly childcare are also operated separately to meet the diverse childcare needs of dual-income couples and others.

In particular, despite difficult financial conditions, to realize free childcare, the province decided to fully support the difference in childcare fees paid by parents at private and home daycare centers, increasing from 20,000 KRW last year to an average of 84,000 KRW per month this year.

Additionally, by supporting the installation of an electronic attendance system, a service that informs parents of their child's arrival and departure status is also provided.

Kim Jongbun, Jeonnam Province’s Director of Women and Family Policy, said, “Although there will be difficulties in implementing the reorganized childcare support system due to COVID-19, we hope the new system will be established early, improving the quality of childcare and the working conditions of childcare teachers.”

Meanwhile, as all daycare centers in Jeonnam Province are closed until the 8th of next month due to COVID-19, the province is operating a childcare teacher duty system to provide emergency childcare, and if home childcare is desired, the child care helper system is recommended.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.