Yoon: "Maintain 12-grade system for elementary, middle, and high schools, but consider lowering school starting age"

Ministry of Education Work Report
Will Make Every Effort to Foster Digital Talent and More

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[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 29th, President Yoon Seok-yeol instructed Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education Park Soon-ae to "maintain the 12-grade system for elementary, middle, and high schools but promptly consider advancing the school starting age by one year."

President Yoon gave this directive regarding the education system reform after receiving a work report from Deputy Prime Minister Park at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in the afternoon, according to a briefing by Lee Jae-myung, deputy spokesperson of the Presidential Office.

Emphasizing the need to nurture talent for advanced industries leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution, President Yoon urged Deputy Prime Minister Park to remember that the Ministry of Education is a social ministry responsible for cultivating future talent as well as an economic ministry.

Regarding this, President Yoon said, "I ask you to make thorough efforts in training digital talent and computer language education," and added, "I also hope you will prepare deregulation measures and support policies to nurture specialized personnel and convergence talents required in advanced industrial fields."

He also stressed the importance of ensuring that marginalized groups are not excluded from education policies. President Yoon stated, "Education is fundamentally a national responsibility, and vulnerable groups must not be excluded from fair educational opportunities," emphasizing, "To this end, efforts should be made to recover learning deficits among marginalized groups and strengthen educational support tailored to their specific characteristics."

Furthermore, to promote diversity in education, President Yoon emphasized, "The curriculum should be operated flexibly, and various types of school forms should be guaranteed to broadly expand the public's right to choose." He also instructed a comprehensive review of the education system, including local education finances, considering the declining student population.

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