5 Trillion Won Budget Allocated for 'Education Recovery' This Second Half to Address Learning Gaps and Overcrowded Classes

Ministry of Education Holds 1st Education Recovery Support Committee Meeting with 17 Education Offices
5.3619 Trillion Won Invested to Support Curriculum Supplementation, Quarantine, and Care Operations in Schools

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The Ministry of Education will invest over 5 trillion won in the second half of this year to address learning gaps and overcrowded classes, as well as to support school quarantine and childcare.

On the 8th, the Ministry of Education held the "1st Education Recovery Support Committee Meeting" at the Government Seoul Office, attended by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum. The meeting discussed the progress of key tasks to support education recovery.

The Education Recovery Support Committee is co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye and Choi Kyo-jin, Chairperson of the National Council of Superintendents of Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education. It consists of 20 members including representatives from metropolitan and provincial offices of education, local governments, education and psychology experts, teachers, and parents.

The Ministry of Education and metropolitan and provincial offices of education plan to use a total of 5.3619 trillion won or more in the second half of this year for education recovery. The metropolitan and provincial offices of education will invest 5.0981 trillion won, and the Ministry of Education will invest 263.8 billion won.

The 17 metropolitan and provincial offices of education will focus on supporting education recovery and building future education learning environments by investing a total budget of 5.0981 trillion won secured through supplementary budgets in the second half of the year. The budget will be allocated as follows: 1.5871 trillion won for resolving learning gaps, emotional support, and alleviating overcrowded classes; 809.3 billion won for establishing an education safety net including school quarantine and childcare support; and 2.7017 trillion won for creating a foundation for future education environments.

To recover learning deficits, metropolitan and provincial offices of education will establish plans to operate supplementary curriculum programs linked and expanded through their own projects. For example, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will expand the supplementary curriculum "Kidari Saem" program from elementary to middle school, and the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education has prepared an English supplementary program called "Back to the Basics" for elementary students in grades 3 to 6. Approximately 3,000 teachers, including lead teachers and those with extensive experience in high school career and college guidance, will provide 1:1 customized learning counseling for high school students to foster self-directed learning abilities and support the recovery of academic confidence.

A basic academic skills guarantee system will be established, and autonomous academic achievement evaluations will be supported. The Ministry of Education will guide the "Basic Academic Skills Guarantee Act," which passed the National Assembly at the end of August, and will enact the enforcement ordinance of the Basic Academic Skills Guarantee Act by February next year to alleviate learning deficits. Starting from September next year, computer-based autonomous academic achievement evaluations will be introduced, allowing schools that wish to participate to do so voluntarily at their preferred times.

Counseling programs to support psychological, emotional, and social aspects will be developed, and psychological support at the school and class levels will be assisted. In addition to the dedicated agency that professionally supports student suicide prevention and mental health tasks, a separate specialized student health support agency will be established to expand management to physical and mental health.

To alleviate overcrowded classes with 28 or more students per class, additional classes will be added to 1,155 schools. This will utilize classroom conversions, modular teachers, and expansions. Standards for grants related to new and expanded schools will be raised, and rules and guidelines for financial investment project reviews will be revised to improve systems for alleviating overcrowded classes. Furthermore, from September, a "Ministry of Education-Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education Joint Promotion Team" will be formed to establish mid- to long-term policy directions, monitor current status, and implement system improvements.

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said, "The government will do its utmost to expand in-person classes and strengthen school quarantine in the second semester, even if the quarantine situation is somewhat difficult, to minimize learning deficits and social decline."

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Eun-hye explained, "Education recovery measures must be timely and intensively supported with full effort. Since this policy comprehensively supports not only learning deficits but also emotional and social aspects, we will systematically support it through the Education Recovery Support Committee and promotion teams in each office of education."

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