Enhancing Accounting Transparency and Childcare Administration Convenience... Incheon City Expands Daycare Centers by 80%

Incheon City Daycare Management System Homepage Main Screen [Provided by Incheon City]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City plans to expand the usage rate of the daycare center management system, introduced last year to enhance accounting transparency and convenience in childcare administration, to 80% of all daycare centers this year.

According to the city on the 16th, as of the end of December last year, 759 out of 1,943 daycare centers in Incheon, accounting for 39%, had adopted the management system, exceeding the initial target of 30%.

Last year, the system was primarily introduced to national/public, public-type, and Incheon-type daycare centers, but voluntary participation from private and home daycare centers also contributed to the achievement.

This year, the city plans to expand the adoption of the management system to 80% of all daycare centers. To ensure early stabilization of the system, the city will actively collect feedback from actual users such as daycare center directors and continuously improve and advance the system.

The Incheon City daycare center management system encompasses key elements of the government's Digital New Deal, including the establishment of a digital management system, big data construction, policy decision-making utilizing big data, and the creation of digital-based educational infrastructure.

Using the free daycare center management system can save approximately 600,000 to 1,500,000 KRW annually in accounting agency processing fees, and financial support effects can be achieved through refunding reserves related to card and bankbook balances.

Additionally, it is automatically linked with the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s integrated childcare information system, enabling smart accounting processing. It also offers services such as a childcare specialist counselor help desk (remote support), automatic text completion, standardization of Incheon City reporting documents, monthly accounting verification functions, and additional menus for staff management.

When the management system is used by more than 80%, digitization of accounting documents becomes possible, and data accumulated in the system can be utilized for policy decisions such as daycare center budget support. Through the digital system, guidance inspections and educational programs can also be conducted remotely, making it useful even during the COVID-19 situation.

An Incheon City official stated, "Although some daycare centers had negative views on adopting the management system, we have signed a business agreement with the Daycare Center Association to encourage voluntary participation and cooperation from daycare centers. We have also formed a consultative body with the main organizers to collect opinions and reflect improvement plans."