Support for Quarantine Supplies, Emergency Care, and Remote Education to Prevent Learning Gaps
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] The Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education has prepared a supplementary budget of 23.8 billion KRW and submitted it to the Incheon City Council in response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.
The Office of Education announced on the 29th that it urgently prepared the supplementary budget to establish a COVID-19 quarantine system in line with the scheduled school closure end date of the 6th of next month.
The revenue sources for the supplementary budget include 13.4 billion KRW from the Ministry of Education’s additional general grants and 10.4 billion KRW from national treasury funds, special grants, and non-statutory transfers allocated after the main budget was formulated.
The Office allocated a total of 9.1 billion KRW for purchasing quarantine supplies such as masks and hand sanitizers, as well as installing thermal imaging cameras.
Additionally, 500 million KRW will be allocated for operating a school stabilization task force (TF) and assigning nurses to public kindergartens, 2.2 billion KRW for emergency care at kindergartens, elementary schools, and special schools, and 1.3 billion KRW to support school meal operations.
To support the recovery of the depressed local economy, a total of 1.7 billion KRW was allocated, including 900 million KRW for book purchases in cooperation with local bookstores and 800 million KRW for environmental improvement costs at various institutions.
Furthermore, to reduce the burden on kindergarten parents due to prolonged school closures and to stabilize employment and livelihoods of private kindergarten teachers, the budget includes 4 billion KRW for kindergarten tuition support, 700 million KRW for building remote education infrastructure, and 600 million KRW for online class operation expenses.
The budget proposal is scheduled to be finalized at the plenary session after review by the Education Standing Committee and the Special Budget and Accounts Committee of the Incheon City Council on the 31st.
Superintendent Do Seonghun stated, "This supplementary budget focuses on overcoming COVID-19, ensuring student safety, and revitalizing the local economy. We will also do our best to support both online and offline learning for stable academic operations and distribute infectious disease response manuals."
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