[2022 National Audit] Deputy Minister of Education: "Full-day Elementary Schools to be Piloted from Second Half of Next Year"

Assemblyman Lee Taegyu: "An average of 13,000 children per year unable to use elementary after-school care classrooms and waiting"

Jang Sang-yoon, Vice Minister of Education, is responding to a lawmaker's question during the National Assembly audit on the Ministry of Education and others at the Education Committee in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 21st. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Ministry of Education announced that it will pilot the 'Full-Day Elementary Schools,' which expand after-school programs based on students' preferences, starting in the second half of next year.

On the 21st, Deputy Minister of Education Jang Sang-yoon appeared at the National Assembly's Education Committee audit and said, "We plan to finalize the draft for the (full-day school) by next month, gather feedback, confirm it in the first half of next year, and immediately begin the pilot project."

In response to People Power Party lawmaker Seo Byung-soo's question about whether the specific pilot implementation period would be the second half of next year, Deputy Minister Jang replied, "Yes." He added, "Since this is something that happens at schools, it should be supported by education offices through grants to spread. We plan to conduct the pilot project for at least one year and, if possible, implement it nationwide by 2025."

Earlier, in the August National Assembly work report, the Ministry of Education announced the cancellation of the previously controversial plan for 'age 5 admission' to elementary school and stated that it would promote 'Full-Day Elementary Schools' to strengthen the state's responsibility for education. This involves diversifying after-school programs based on demand and extending the operating hours of elementary care classrooms until 8 p.m.

Teacher organizations opposed the plan. They argued that schools lack the facilities and personnel to expand after-school programs and care services and are demanding the transfer of care responsibilities to local governments.

People Power Party lawmaker Lee Tae-gyu pointed out that the utilization rate of elementary care classrooms compared to applicants averaged 95.3% over the past three years, meaning that about 13,000 children annually, or 4.7%, are unable to use the care classrooms.

The number of applicants for elementary care classrooms has increased every year: 277,513 in 2020, 300,711 in 2021, and 305,218 in 2022. The number of users was 266,564 in 2020, 283,818 in 2021, and 292,068 in 2022.

By region, Incheon had more users than applicants, resulting in a utilization rate of 112.5% as of this year. Utilization rates were relatively high in Seoul (99.3%), Daejeon (98.2%), Sejong (97.8%), and Gyeongbuk (97.3%) compared to other cities and provinces. In contrast, Jeju (86.0%) and Gangwon (89.7%) did not exceed a 90% utilization rate. Especially in Jeju and Gangwon, the utilization rate has been declining annually since 2020, indicating a need for countermeasures.

Parental satisfaction with elementary care classrooms averaged 94.4% nationwide. Chungbuk had the highest satisfaction at 97.2%, followed by Ulsan (96.9%), Gwangju (96.6%), and Daejeon (96.5%). Seoul recorded only 80.4% satisfaction.

Lawmaker Lee Tae-gyu stated, "Although the utilization rate of elementary care classrooms is rising, many applicants still cannot use the service, and there are regional differences in utilization rates. To successfully implement the government's planned 'Full-Day Elementary Classrooms,' urgent supplementary measures are needed."

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