"Even Hiring One More Teacher Leads to Deficits"... Jeonnam Daycare Centers Face 'Operational Crisis'

Government Strengthens Teacher Placement Standards, Directly Increasing Personnel Cost Burden
Park Hyunsook: "Concerns Over Closure of Small Daycare Centers... Urgent Provincial Support Needed"

Small-scale daycare centers in the Jeonnam region are expected to face significantly increased operational pressure due to the government's strengthened teacher-to-infant ratio requirements. However, critics point out that Jeonnam Province's practical support measures remain stagnant.

Hyunsook Park, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member (Democratic Party of Korea, Proportional Representation), stated at the Jeonnam Provincial Council's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts on December 2, "While improving the quality of childcare is necessary, for small daycare centers, hiring just one additional teacher immediately leads to a deficit. Local governments are being forced to shoulder the burden of government standards that ignore the current realities."

Hyunsook Park, Former Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member

The Ministry of Education, citing the integration of early childhood education and care as a rationale, significantly strengthened the teacher-to-infant ratio in June. The ratio for infants aged 0 will be reduced from 1:3 to 1:2, and for children aged 3 to 5, from 1:12 to 1:8. Although the standards have been tightened, there is widespread dissatisfaction in the region that there are no accompanying financial support measures to cover personnel costs.

Assemblywoman Park pointed out, "Jeonnam has many rural and island areas, so the number of enrolled children is low, making deficit operations commonplace. In this structure, hiring even one more staff member immediately leads to considerations of closure."

She continued, "If this is a national policy, the state should take responsibility. Since national support is insufficient, Jeonnam Province should at least provide direct operational funding."

In response, Yu Mija, Director of Gender and Family Policy for Jeonnam Province, said, "Next year, we plan to increase the per-class operational subsidy from 100,000 won to 120,000 won. We are continuously submitting proposals to central ministries and the National Assembly to address the financial difficulties of private and home-based daycare centers."

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