Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Provides Emergency Support for Tuition and Class Operation Fees of Private Kindergartens

Emergency Support Project for Stabilizing Private Kindergarten Operations
Tuition Refunds for Remote Classes Conducted in January-February
50% Support for Tuition Deficits in Kindergartens with Reduced Teacher Salaries

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Parents who paid tuition fees despite their children not attending due to COVID-19 will be able to receive refunds. Tuition fee deficits will also be supported for private kindergartens struggling to pay staff salaries.

On the 3rd, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, in consultation with the Seoul Metropolitan Council and the Seoul Metropolitan Council Education Committee, announced the implementation of the "Private Kindergarten Operation Stabilization Emergency Support" project to alleviate the tuition burden on parents of private kindergarten students facing difficulties due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and to resolve operational difficulties of kindergartens.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will invest 14.1 billion KRW from its own budget. This is to reduce the burden on parents who paid tuition fees despite not being able to send their children to kindergarten due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation and to support private kindergartens that could not pay staff salaries due to class suspensions.

Tuition fees paid by parents during the remote learning period from January to February will be refunded. Only the amount excluding childcare participation costs will be refunded. Among private kindergartens, those that fully paid their staff salaries will receive a temporary support amounting to 50% of the tuition fee deficit. Additional support will be provided for class operation expenses, which can be used flexibly according to the kindergarten’s circumstances, including educational activity costs, staff salaries, and public utility fees.

Private kindergartens wishing to receive support must submit an application form and related supporting documents to the relevant education support office by February 8. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will review the supporting documents and plans to provide stabilization support funds within February.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education stated, “This project was prepared based on a consensus that support is necessary for the stable operation of kindergartens, which are the first schools in our children’s lives, and we will continue to make our best efforts to guarantee the learning rights of young children.”

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