Dongjak-gu to Open 6 Public Childcare Centers Next Year Including Raemian Kids and Boramae Xi

Expansion of Areum Daycare Center in Sangdo 2-dong Lotte Castle Apartment... Completion Scheduled for January Next Year, Opening Targeted for April

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) is expanding public national and public daycare centers to strengthen the foundation of public childcare by 2021.

Currently, there are a total of 68 national and public daycare centers in the area, achieving this year's target utilization rate of 50% for public daycare centers, which exceeds the government’s 40% and Seoul’s average of 43% (as of August 2020).

First, the district passed the public daycare center expansion review last August and is set to install and operate the ‘Areum Daycare Center’ (tentative name) with a completion target of January next year.

The ‘Areum Daycare Center’ (tentative name), located in the management building of Sangdo 2-dong Lotte Castle Apartments, scheduled to open at the end of February 2021, will be completed in accordance with the mandatory regulation for public daycare centers in newly built multi-family housing complexes with over 500 households.

The facility will be one story high, covering 386.3㎡, and will consist of ▲classes for ages 0-2 ▲classes for age 3 ▲part-time classes with a capacity of 48 children.

On the 16th, the district signed an agreement with the local housing cooperative and the developer Taeryeo Construction, including ▲free use of the daycare center facilities ▲priority admission rights for residents’ children.

In December, the district plans to hold a childcare policy committee review to select a consignment organization and hire a director, complete interior construction and purchase teaching materials and educational tools by February next year, and open the daycare center in April.

Besides the Areum Daycare Center (tentative name), the district aims to open six national and public daycare centers by 2021, including ▲Eunsol Daycare Center (Sangdo 1-dong) ▲Raemian Kids (Noryangjin 1-dong) ▲Boramae Xi Daycare Center (Sindaebang 2-dong).

This year, four centers were opened: ▲Kkumdam Daycare Center (Sangdo 1-dong) ▲Gaon Daycare Center (Sangdo 3-dong) ▲Doremi Daycare Center (Heukseok-dong) ▲Daum Daycare Center (Sadang 5-dong).

Also, on the 26th at 5 p.m., the district will hold the ‘2020 Dongjak-gu Childcare Day Online Event’ at the Daekyo Center Performance Hall (23 Boramae-ro 3-gil, Gwanak-gu, Daekyo Tower).

This year’s event will be held online using a video conferencing app due to the strengthened social distancing level 2 measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event will include ▲awards and commendations for excellent daycare centers and childcare staff ▲a business report from the Dongjak-gu Childcare Support Center ▲a congratulatory performance titled ‘Communication and Empathy,’ providing a place for daycare staff and related personnel to gather and share achievements made throughout the year.

In particular, the event will feature an online dialogue between the district mayor and childcare staff under the theme ‘Talking about Childcare in Dongjak-gu.’

Kim Kyung-ok, Head of the Childcare Division, said, “Childcare is a universal welfare that all children should enjoy without exception. We will strive to add 12 more national and public daycare centers by 2023 and create a childbirth- and child-rearing-friendly childcare environment.”

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