Daycare Center Childcare Teacher Works 10 Hours a Day ... Monthly Average Salary 2.76 Million Won

by Jo Inkyung

Published 28 Apr.2022 06:00(KST)

Additional Quarantine Duties Due to COVID-19... Difficulty in Finding Substitute Teachers

Daycare Center Childcare Teacher Works 10 Hours a Day ... Monthly Average Salary 2.76 Million Won

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] It has been found that the average monthly salary of childcare teachers at national and public daycare centers differs by more than 500,000 won compared to those at private and home daycare centers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the workload of childcare teachers working at daycare centers has increased.

According to the '2021 Childcare Status Survey' conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare through the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education on the 28th, the average monthly labor income of 3,300 surveyed childcare teachers was 2,764,000 won, which is a 27.4% (590,000 won) increase compared to 2,170,000 won in the 2018 survey three years ago.

Looking at the components of income, the basic salary and allowances (such as homeroom teacher and special needs childcare allowances) received from daycare centers increased by 434,000 won, regular allowances paid by the government such as treatment improvement and work environment improvement allowances increased by 87,000 won, and regular allowances paid by local governments such as position, chief allowances, and overtime allowances increased by 73,000 won each.

The average salary of childcare teachers at national and public daycare centers and private and home daycare centers was 3,010,000 won and 2,530,000 won respectively, showing a difference of about 520,000 won. Compared to the 2018 survey, where the salary of childcare teachers at national and public daycare centers was 2,670,000 won and that of private and home daycare centers was 2,060,000 won, showing a gap of about 610,000 won, the gap has somewhat narrowed.

An official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare explained, "The increase in the basic salary of childcare teachers at private and home daycare centers, along with the regular allowances paid by the government and local governments, has partially contributed to narrowing the income gap with childcare teachers at national and public daycare centers."

On the other hand, the working hours of childcare teachers reached 9 hours and 44 minutes per day, which is more than the 9 hours and 7 minutes recorded in the 2018 survey and even the 9 hours and 42 minutes in the 2015 survey. The average working hours excluding break time was 8 hours and 52 minutes, an increase of 30 minutes compared to 8 hours and 22 minutes in 2018, and the break time including lunch was 52 minutes, 8 minutes longer than the 44 minutes in 2018.

The increase in working hours is interpreted as being due to childcare teachers having to take on additional duties such as in-house quarantine tasks during the COVID-19 spread period, while it was difficult to find teachers to take on extended childcare or assistant and substitute teachers to support or replace duties.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to expand the support for extended and assistant teachers from about 58,000 last year to 66,000 this year, guaranteeing leave, sick leave, education, and break times, and creating conditions that allow childcare teachers to focus on childcare.

Additionally, the ministry plans to introduce senior teachers who manage administration and personnel within daycare centers and can perform substitute duties during teachers' leave or sick leave to cover personnel gaps.