Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education "Expect Seoul City and Districts to Form and Operate TF"
Office of Education to Conduct Policy Research on Appropriate Meal Cost per Person from February
Seoul City Also Conducting Research on Meal Unit Price Calculation and Financial Assessment
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced plans to promote free meals for kindergartens on the 4th, and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education also expressed strong support.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education stated, "We actively welcome Mayor Oh's 'Plan to Promote Free Meals for Kindergartens' and look forward to the prompt formation and operation of a task force (TF) team involving Seoul City and autonomous districts."
Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, said, "If eco-friendly free meals for kindergartens are introduced this year, it means that free meals for all levels from kindergarten to elementary, middle, and high schools in Seoul will be completed after 10 years," adding, "We hope this initiative will further activate educational cooperation projects between Seoul City and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education."
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has been conducting policy research on appropriate meal costs per child since February to introduce free meals for kindergartens. In March, it also proposed the introduction of eco-friendly free meals for kindergartens along with 11 major educational agendas to Seoul City. Starting this year, kindergartens are included under the School Meals Act, leading to the judgment that a systematic support system is necessary to convert kindergarten meals to free meals. The estimated cost of free meals by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education is about 83.4 billion KRW, and considering equipment purchase costs, it is expected to reach 100 billion KRW.
Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced plans to promote free meals for kindergartens along with a plan to adjust meal and snack costs for daycare centers, which are lower than those for kindergartens.
Following the Cabinet meeting on the morning of the same day, Mayor Oh held an online briefing at Seoul City Hall and said, "While fully promoting free meals for kindergartens, we must also adjust meal and snack costs for daycare centers accordingly to ensure that all children are not discriminated against."
Mayor Oh stated, "To promote free meals for kindergartens, we will discuss with the City Council and conduct research to accurately calculate meal unit costs and estimate the financial burden of support."
The current meal unit cost is 3,100 KRW per meal. Although meal costs are included in early childhood education fees, it has been pointed out that this alone is insufficient to improve meal quality. For daycare centers, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has set the cost at 1,900 KRW for infants (ages 0-2) and 2,500 KRW for young children (ages 3-5), but there is a price gap compared to kindergartens. The city, together with autonomous districts, is currently setting average meal and snack costs at about 2,600 KRW for infants and about 3,000 KRW for young children through additional financial burdens.
Mayor Oh explained, "Currently, in 12 metropolitan areas, education offices bear the costs for free kindergarten meals or share the costs with local governments. By promoting free meals for kindergartens, the issue of low meal costs included in current education expenses is being addressed."
At the Cabinet meeting that day, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare also showed positive responses, and Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Eun-hye reportedly suggested discussing budget issues related to the introduction of free meals for kindergartens in detail.
Additionally, Mayor Oh added that there is a need to discuss the budget burden for meal and snack costs borne by local governments. He said, "Given that each local government's financial situation and price levels differ, it is not the right answer to simply tell each local government to solve the problem on its own. The government should step in to set standards and prepare comprehensive measures so that appropriate meals and snacks, considering the nutrition and menus by age group of young children, can be provided without discrimination, whether in kindergartens or daycare centers."
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