Why Seoul Jung-gu's Model Elementary Care Leads South Korea's Childcare Policy?

Junggu Takes Direct Initiative to Create Care Spaces Inside Schools, Fully Responsible for Educational Programs and Staffing... Special Feature of Junggu-Style Care Class: Children Can Be Reliably and Productively Cared for Until 8 PM

Seoyangho, the mayor of Jung-gu, is playing a craft game with children.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] "In the Jung-gu care classrooms, places that children touch are disinfected more than twice daily. Children's safety is our top priority."

At the end of February, when the domestic infectious disease crisis alert was raised to severe, five elementary care classrooms in Jung-gu, Seoul, simultaneously launched emergency care.

This was a week earlier than the government's official emergency care start date scheduled for March 2. On that day, children attending the care classrooms wore masks, used sterilized personal learning tools, and were cared for until 8 p.m.

While the whole country was experiencing chaos due to an unexpected emergency care crisis, how was Jung-gu able to provide prepared care one step ahead?

Since March last year, Jung-gu, Seoul, has been operating the nation's first "Jung-gu-style elementary care classroom," which provides "schools with classrooms, and local governments with care."

The district directly creates care spaces within schools and takes full responsibility for educational programs and personnel management.

There has been a continuous demand for local governments, who understand regional characteristics and conditions well, to operate care classrooms so that teachers can focus solely on education. This is because schools and teachers faced limitations in fully managing care classrooms in addition to their primary educational duties.

The COVID-19 pandemic emergency care crisis further highlighted the limitations of the existing care system.

A survey conducted by the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education last April showed that 49.4% of dual-income couples experienced difficulties due to care gaps after COVID-19. This indicates that even expanded public emergency care could not fill all the gaps. In this situation, the "Jung-gu-style elementary care classroom," which presents a new care paradigm, is gaining attention as an alternative.

The special feature of the Jung-gu-style care classroom is that children can be entrusted safely and meaningfully until 8 p.m.

Most existing care classrooms ended care by 5 p.m. This was somewhat disconnected from the reality of dual-income couples who return home around 6 to 7 p.m. and only get home by 8 p.m.

Therefore, the Jung-gu-style care classroom extended care hours by three hours, operating until 8 p.m. Snacks and dinner made from eco-friendly ingredients are provided according to the extended care hours, and a night care security officer works until care ends to ensure children's safety. Additionally, professional instructors provide educational programs twice daily.

The service is free of charge. This was possible because it is fully operated by the district. Another feature that won parents' hearts after transitioning to district operation was the introduction of the "one classroom, two teachers" system. This eliminated blind spots in the classroom that could occur when only one teacher was assigned and resolved the previous inconvenience where children could not move once inside the care classroom.

Thanks to this, when children go to academies, one teacher stays in the classroom while the other escorts the children to the school gate where academy vehicles arrive. The children's entry and exit status is also automatically sent to parents via text messages through an access recognition system.

Now in its second year, the Jung-gu-style care classroom is evaluated as a policy that satisfies all three educational stakeholders: students, parents, and teachers. It has received a 99% satisfaction rate from students and parents, while teachers actively support and empathize, saying that thanks to local government care, they can fully focus on education.

Its excellence has been recognized externally as well, winning the President's Award, the highest prize, at the 2019 Low Birthrate Excellent Policy Competition hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, followed by awards from the Ministry of Education and the Seoul Mayor. Benchmarking inquiries from the Ministry of Education and other local governments continue unabated. This proves that the Jung-gu-style elementary care is a successful care policy.

There were many obstacles to overcome before this widely recognized care system settled in Jung-gu. In the early stages of the project, demand was gathered through parent meetings, and the district head personally visited the Seoul Superintendent of Education to explain the project's purpose to take over care classroom operations under the Ministry of Education's jurisdiction.

Thanks to this, the Jung-gu-style elementary care classroom, which started with Heungin Elementary School in March last year, expanded to five schools within a year through word of mouth among parents. Negotiations are also underway to add three more district-operated care classrooms at Chungmu and Deoksu Elementary Schools next year.

The Jung-gu-style care classroom, emerging as a new alternative, is beginning to spread its butterfly effect not only within Jung-gu but also to local governments nationwide.

However, there are challenges that must be resolved first. Currently, the Jung-gu-style care classroom is 100% funded by the district. Although the space is in schools, because it is operated by the local government, it does not receive budget support from the Ministry of Education. This institutional lack of support makes it difficult for the Jung-gu-style care classroom to expand.

It has been six months since the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Korea. As the COVID-19 situation prolongs, it is time to consider a sustainable, everyday care system beyond temporary emergency care.

In the 21st National Assembly, discussions are expected to continue, following the 20th Assembly, on enacting the "All-day Care Special Act," which includes local government care classroom operations and national financial support for them.

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