Songpa-gu Expands 'Native English Classroom' to Age 4

86 Daycare Centers and 47 Kindergartens, Total 133 Sites, Weekly Classes with Native Speakers
Reducing Private Education Costs and Enhancing Public Education Competitiveness to Create a 'Child-Friendly Songpa'

Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) is taking a proactive approach to meet resident demand in the era of ultra-low birth rates by expanding the 'Native English Classes for Daycare Centers and Kindergartens,' which it was the first in Seoul to operate, starting this year.

According to a survey conducted last year by the Bank of Korea targeting unmarried and married individuals (1,472 people), the biggest reason cited for delaying or giving up childbirth was 'the burden of childcare and education costs (44%).'

In response, the district plans to expand and operate the 'Native English Classes for Songpa-gu Daycare Centers and Kindergartens' to include children up to age 4 starting this year, aiming to reduce the actual private education expenses for parents and provide equal educational opportunities.

Last year, the district launched the 'Native English Classes' for 5-year-old children at local daycare centers and kindergartens, the first such program in Seoul. Most notably, since the district directly manages the program without additional education fees, it has been evaluated as contributing not only to reducing the burden of private English education costs but also to strengthening public education competitiveness and closing educational gaps.

Furthermore, satisfaction surveys showed high approval ratings: 94.6% among kindergartens, 99% among parents, and a satisfaction score of 4.6 out of 5 for daycare centers and parents. Parents especially responded enthusiastically, saying, "It was good to have classes taught by verified teachers through public education, learning English with friends in a familiar environment was a great advantage, and we were satisfied with the opportunity to hear native pronunciation and become familiar with English-speaking cultures through meeting foreigners."

Encouraged by the strong response from residents, in 2024, the program will be expanded from supporting only 5-year-olds to include both 4- and 5-year-olds so that more children can benefit.

Starting in April, the program will operate at a total of 133 locations, including 86 national/public and private daycare centers and 47 public and private kindergartens. In particular, kindergartens will improve the quality of education by adjusting class times according to age concentration (4 years old: 30 minutes / 5 years old: 40 minutes).

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, "This is a time when proactive responses are needed in the education field, which is facing rapid changes such as a decrease in the school-age population due to ultra-low birth rates. Through the expanded operation of native English classes, we will reduce the burden of private education costs, support children's English learning and proper growth, and implement Songpa-gu’s unique education policies to create a 'Songpa that is good for raising children.'"

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