Ulsan Office of Education, Supplementary Budget of 2.024 Trillion Won, Increased by 104.3 Billion Won

Ulsan Office of Education.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Du-yeol] The Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education submitted a supplementary budget for the first additional budget of 2022 to the Ulsan Metropolitan Council, increasing the existing budget of 2.024 trillion KRW by 104.3 billion KRW to a total of 2.1283 trillion KRW.

The budget increase was made to strengthen a safe learning environment in preparation for the spread of COVID-19 after the start of the new semester and to establish an educational foundation that responds to future changes.

The revenue sources for the supplementary budget include 96.8 billion KRW from the Ministry of Education’s confirmed ordinary grants, 5.9 billion KRW transferred from the Special Account for Early Childhood Education Support, and 1.6 billion KRW from special grants, increasing the budget by 5.2% or 104.3 billion KRW compared to the original budget.

This first supplementary budget of the year focuses on strengthening a safe learning environment through quarantine support in preparation for the spread of COVID-19 and establishing an educational foundation that responds to future changes such as creating future-oriented classroom environments.

It includes 3.8 billion KRW for the purchase of rapid antigen test kits to establish a prompt and systematic diagnostic testing system and prevent the spread of confirmed cases within schools, and 500 million KRW to support PCR testing.

To protect student health and support safe educational activities amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, and to operate quarantine personnel in the second semester, 5.4 billion KRW was allocated.

Basic school operating expenses were increased from 30 million KRW to 40 million KRW per school, totaling an additional 8.8 billion KRW, enabling schools to respond quickly and flexibly to Omicron.

234 billion KRW was allocated to create a convergent advanced classroom environment for digital transformation and various innovative teaching and learning spaces to leap forward into future education.

46 billion KRW was allocated to support smart devices to activate face-to-face, non-face-to-face, and online-offline linked education.

12 billion KRW was allocated for the creation of teaching sharing spaces due to increased teaching research spaces, visiting teaching sharing, and consulting training following the introduction of the revised curriculum.

359 billion KRW was allocated to revitalize the local economy, which has been stagnant due to COVID-19, and to improve students’ educational environment.

Specifically, 12 billion KRW was allocated for temporary classroom support related to the Green Smart Future School initiative, 10.6 billion KRW for environmental improvement facility projects such as seismic reinforcement and asbestos ceiling replacement, and 4.1 billion KRW for school facility expansion.

92 billion KRW was allocated for library environment improvement, modernization of vocational high school practice rooms, computer room environment improvement, and school sports facility projects, which are expected to also contribute to local economic revitalization.

60 billion KRW was increased due to a 20,000 KRW monthly increase in the Nuri Curriculum fees for kindergartens and daycare centers.

69 billion KRW was allocated for increased labor costs following the wage collective agreement for educational public employees, and 1.1 billion KRW was allocated for newly established health checkup expenses for teaching staff.

The first supplementary budget proposal is scheduled to be finalized on the 24th after deliberation and resolution at the 228th Ulsan Metropolitan Council extraordinary session starting on the 15th.

Superintendent of Education Noh Ok-hee said, “The supplementary budget focuses on rapid school-centered support to ensure that school sites do not experience confusion despite the spread of Omicron,” and added, “We will also ensure no gaps in establishing an educational foundation that responds to future changes by creating future-oriented classroom environments.”

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