Next Year's Busan Education Budget Confirmed at 4.5899 Trillion Won

Busan Metropolitan Office of Education Focuses on Completing Educational Welfare, Building Digital Learning Environment, and Overcoming COVID-19

Busan Metropolitan Office of Education.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Busan City's education budget for next year has been finalized at 4.5899 trillion KRW.

The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education (Superintendent Kim Seok-jun) announced on the 17th that the 2021 budget was finalized on the 16th after approval by the Busan City Council.

The 2021 budget focuses on completing educational welfare and supporting basic academic skills to eliminate academic gaps so that all students can be respected and grow happily. It also plans to focus on establishing a safe educational environment by strengthening school quarantine measures in response to the spread of COVID-19.

5.832 trillion KRW will be invested to complete educational welfare where students can study with peace of mind.

Free high school education of 120.7 billion KRW and free school meals of 202.5 billion KRW will be expanded to all students, completing a welfare foundation free from tuition and meal expenses.

2.152 trillion KRW has been allocated for the Nuri Curriculum education expenses necessary for early childhood education. Accordingly, starting from March next year, kindergarten tuition and daycare center childcare fees will be increased by 20,000 KRW each compared to this year to provide support.

7.8 billion KRW for uniforms for new middle school students and 37 billion KRW for school trips will be expanded to all elementary, middle, and high schools to ease the burden on parents facing difficulties due to COVID-19.

Since school trips were canceled this year due to COVID-19, an additional 15.9 billion KRW will be provided next year for various experiential activities for third-year middle school and third-year high school students who did not receive support benefits.

2.3 billion KRW will be invested to strengthen the basic academic safety net to address academic decline and gaps caused by long-term remote classes.

To ensure an equal starting line for all students and support customized growth, the operation of projects such as the Dakkyechim Project (500 million KRW), Dudream School (700 million KRW), and Aiseum Learning Companion (200 million KRW) will gradually support students' learning management.

It will also respond to changes in the educational environment in preparation for the post-COVID era. 53.7 billion KRW will be invested in creating a digital learning environment connecting online and offline learning and the 'Busan-type Blended Learning Activation Project' to innovate classes and enhance remote learning quality.

For the first time nationwide, an environment will be created where students and teachers can conduct both remote and face-to-face classes, enabling advanced digital learning using edutech devices in regular classrooms even in crisis situations like COVID-19.

12 billion KRW will be invested in establishing a school quarantine system, including disinfection costs, quarantine supplies, and quarantine support personnel to make schools the safest quarantine zones.

Superintendent Kim Seok-jun said, “We will focus all our capabilities on creating a safe educational environment so that students can grow into creative convergence talents with right character through uninterrupted education even in crisis situations such as infectious diseases.”

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