Next Year, Gyeongnam School Meal Costs to Rise by 4.8% ... Unit Price Increased by 170 Won

Support for Middle and High School Uniform Purchase Costs to be Managed by Education Offices

The unit cost of school meals in Gyeongnam will increase by 4.8% in 2024 compared to this year.

Gyeongnam Province and the Provincial Office of Education held the 2023 Education Administration Council regular meeting at the Office of Education on the 26th and made this decision.

Governor Park Wansu of Gyeongnam Province (left) and Superintendent Park Jonghun of Gyeongnam Office of Education are holding the agreement document from the 2024 Gyeongnam Education Administration Council regular meeting.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

According to Gyeongnam Province and the Office of Education, the two institutions agreed to raise the unit cost of school meals by 4.8% next year and to shift the responsibility for purchasing uniforms for new middle and high school students from local governments to the Office of Education.

With this decision, the unit cost of school meals will increase by 170 KRW next year, and the burden ratio will remain the same as this year: 20% by the province, 30% by the 18 cities and counties, and 50% by the Office of Education.

Of the total budget requirement of 236.4 billion KRW for next year, which is 8.8 billion KRW more than this year, the province plans to bear 47.2 billion KRW, the 18 cities and counties 70.9 billion KRW, and the Office of Education 118.2 billion KRW.

For high school meal unit costs, the range will increase from 3,460 KRW?5,120 KRW this year to 3,630 KRW?5,290 KRW next year.

The uniform purchase subsidy, which has been supported at 300,000 KRW per person from the province and city/county budgets, will be supported by the Office of Education starting next year.

The 2023 Gyeongsangnam-do Education Administration Council regular meeting is being held.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

The two institutions also agreed that the necessary expenses for free childcare and free education for 4-year-old children at daycare centers will be borne by Gyeongnam Province, while the free education costs for private kindergartens will be borne by the Office of Education.

They also agreed to expand the inspection items for food ingredients supplied by the food support centers in cities and counties to include radiation tests for agricultural and marine products, heavy metal tests for marine products, and genetic tests for Korean beef.

Final agreement was reached on the formulation of the 2024 special education expenditure budget, which includes 16 projects such as support for education expenses for multi-child families, after-school free course vouchers for low-income families, and operation of elementary school care classrooms.

The Gyeongsangnam-do Education Administration Council is a cooperative body held annually by the province and the Office of Education to jointly resolve educational issues and coordinate educational projects carried out by each institution in order to provide high-quality educational services.

Governor Park said, “Both institutions are financially strained due to decreased tax revenues, but we will strengthen cooperation with the Office of Education to create an educational environment where students can focus on their studies and to expand the welfare network so that no residents are left behind.”

Superintendent Park said, “Although the local education finance situation is challenging, it is precisely at times like this that educational administration based on broad communication and mutual understanding is necessary for coexistence. We will create the future education of Gyeongnam by thinking only of students and education.”

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