[Yoon Seok-yeol Elected] Direction of Education Policy... Expansion of Regular Admissions, Integration of Kindergarten and Childcare, Extension of Elementary Care

Target for Expanding Regular Admission Rates is Major Metropolitan Universities
Challenges in Integrating Free Childcare for Age 5 and Preschool
Inevitable Conflicts Over Funding for Daycare Fees

On the 12th, parents and examinees who attended the 2022 College Entrance Exam Regular Admission Score Prediction Announcement Strategy Briefing held at the 600th Anniversary Hall of Sungkyunkwan University in Jongno-gu, Seoul, are looking at the materials with serious expressions. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol promised policies in the education sector including the expansion of regular admissions and university entrance policies, integration of kindergarten and daycare (Yubo), and expansion of elementary school after-school care. Although he did not specify exact figures for the expansion of regular admissions, it is expected that universities in the metropolitan area with a high proportion of early admissions will be targeted. He also pledged to strengthen punishments for admission fraud through measures such as the secret inspector system and one-strike-out policy, which is likely to lead to stricter management and supervision standards.

The high school credit system, set for full implementation in 2025, allows students to take a wide range of elective courses aligned with their career paths in addition to common and general elective subjects (Korean, English, Math, Social Studies, Science). This conflicts with the expansion of regular admissions. As the proportion of regular admissions increases, issues of advantage and disadvantage by elective subjects may become more prominent, making it difficult to fully incorporate the high school credit system. Since a draft plan for the revision of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) and university entrance system will be prepared in the first half of next year, the level of parental opposition may vary depending on the extent of expansion of regular admissions and changes to the internal evaluation system. President-elect Yoon opposes the abolition of autonomous private high schools, foreign language high schools, and international high schools in 2025, and there is a possibility that the high school credit system may be postponed or reduced during the policy review process. This is because the conversion of autonomous private high schools, foreign language high schools, and international high schools into general high schools can be promoted through amendments to enforcement ordinances.

The integration of kindergarten and daycare (Yubo integration) is a challenge that has been discussed since 1995 but remains unresolved. President-elect Yoon’s pledge includes full free childcare for five-year-olds. Currently, kindergartens are managed by the Ministry of Education, while daycare centers are overseen by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Although free support for both early childhood education and childcare is legally mandated, parents of private kindergarten students still pay tens of thousands of won in fees. There is also a significant difference in teacher qualifications and treatment between kindergartens and daycare centers. While daycare teachers can qualify by completing ‘credit courses’ at junior colleges or lifelong education institutions, kindergarten teachers must graduate from a 3- or 4-year early childhood education program to be certified. Although there is consensus on the direction of Yubo integration, many hurdles remain, including the integration of the responsible ministries and the unification of operational standards and systems. The ‘free childcare for five-year-olds’ pledge by President-elect Yoon also requires prior system reorganization for Yubo integration.

Funding is a key issue for Yubo integration. The government enacted the Special Account Act for Early Childhood Education Support at the end of 2016, providing national funding for daycare fees for children aged 3 to 5, but this law is set to expire at the end of this year. Professor Song Ki-chang of the Department of Education at Sookmyung Women’s University said, “The broad direction of Yubo integration is correct, but the law does not specify the standards for the financial burden of daycare fees,” adding, “A new conflict over who will bear the financial burden is expected.” President-elect Yoon also pledged to improve elementary after-school care centers and extend operating hours until 8 p.m. Although the Ministry of Education proposed extending after-school care classrooms until 7 p.m., teachers are demanding the transfer of after-school care duties from schools to local governments and an increase in personnel, which remains a prerequisite issue.

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