Mandatory Kindergarten Management System and Exclusion of Relatives from Admission Officers' Duties Starting This Year

Saenghwaljeokpaedaechak Association, 'Kindergarten 3 Laws' and 'Higher Education Act Amendment'
"Resolving 'Everyday Privileges and Special Rights' in Early Childhood and Youth Education"

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Starting this year, the use of the national accounting management system for kindergartens, EduFine, will be mandatory, and a law excluding relatives within the fourth degree of kinship from the admissions officer's duties will be fully enforced. The government expects this to enhance transparency and fairness in the education field.

On the 2nd, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission and the Ministry of Education announced that the revised "Kindergarten Three Acts" (Early Childhood Education Act, Private School Act, School Meals Act) and the "Higher Education Act" will be implemented starting this year.

The "Council for Countermeasures Against Everyday Corruption," led by the Anti-Corruption Commission and involving related ministries, has been promoting institutional improvements to eliminate "everyday corruption," which refers to everyday unfairness and privileges in the education sector.

First, through the revised "Early Childhood Education Act" enacted in January, disqualifications such as prior child abuse convictions or mental illness of kindergarten founders and operators must be disclosed, and all kindergartens are required to use EduFine.

According to the Anti-Corruption Commission, EduFine is already introduced and operated in national and public kindergartens and private kindergartens with more than 200 students. From the 1st of this month, it will be fully implemented in all other private kindergartens.

Starting July 30, under the "Private School Act," the chairman of a school corporation will no longer be allowed to concurrently serve as the principal of a kindergarten operated by that corporation. Private kindergartens are prohibited from using tuition fees for purposes other than education. Violations will be punishable by imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of up to 20 million won.

From January 30 next year, kindergartens will be included under the scope of the "School Meals Act." This will establish standards for the operation of kindergarten meals, including hygiene and safety management of meal facilities, equipment, and ingredients, as well as staffing and nutrition.

The council has pushed for institutional improvements related to eradicating academic corruption that citizens can feel, resulting in the amendment of the "Higher Education Act."

According to the revised "Higher Education Act," effective since October 24 last year, university presidents must exclude admissions officers from student selection duties if the admissions officer or their spouse is a relative within the fourth degree of kinship to the applicant or has a special relationship such as private tutoring. This regulation applies only when it is recognized that fair performance of duties is difficult.

Admissions officers must notify the university president if they or their spouse have provided private tutoring to an applicant with whom they have such a special relationship.

Accordingly, from June 11, if it is discovered that an admitted student submitted falsified or forged documents during the admission process or engaged in fraudulent acts such as having someone else take the exam on their behalf, the student's admission must be canceled.

The amended "Private School Act," effective since October 17 last year, has strengthened penalties by applying disciplinary standards for educational public officials to private school teachers who commit misconduct in student evaluations.

Additionally, through the revised "Enforcement Decree of the Early Childhood Education Act," effective since the 25th of last month, not only national and public kindergartens but also private kindergartens are required to establish kindergarten meal committees to systematically manage meals.

The council also plans to strengthen financial pressure on kindergarten principals or founders/operators who fail to comply with correction or change orders under the "Special Act on Disclosure of Information by Educational Institutions." Supervisory agencies will prepare disposition standards to apply differentiated financial support measures to such entities.

Lee Geon-ri, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Anti-Corruption Commission, said, "We hope that institutional improvements in the education sector will be stably established in the field to eradicate unfairness and corruption," adding, "The council will continue to identify factors causing unfairness and privileges in daily life and actively improve them in cooperation with related ministries."

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