"Gwangju Office of Education Should Actively Support Enrollment of Kindergarten Students in Attached Kindergartens"

Citizens' Group for a Society Without Academic Elitism Calls for Efforts to Increase Enrollment Rates in Public Kindergartens

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Cho Hyung-joo] An educational civic group in the Gwangju area urged the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education on the 4th through a press release to actively recruit students for attached kindergartens.

The Citizens' Group for a Society Without Academic Elitism stated, "It is known that the Gwangju Office of Education has postponed the consolidation and closure project of attached kindergartens for one year," adding, "This is interpreted as a measure abandoned by the Office of Education itself, considering the timing of changes in educational policies such as the upcoming superintendent election."

They continued, "However, during the course of these events, the kindergarten in question faced a crisis of closure due to difficulties in recruitment caused by the stigma of being a 'kindergarten subject to consolidation and closure' and a lack of sufficient promotion period for student recruitment," criticizing the situation.

The civic group pointed out, "Student recruitment began on the 1st, but the decision on consolidation and class reassignment was made on October 29th, resulting in a very short period for measures to remove the stigma of being a consolidation target kindergarten and for promoting student recruitment."

They also explained, "Currently, not only the principal and teachers but also parents are going around residential areas to promote student recruitment," adding, "These parents are dedicating their time and money to recruitment promotion and opposition to consolidation not only to protect their children's right to education but also to inform about the advantages of attached kindergartens such as linkage with elementary schools (life adaptation), free education, and compliance with the national curriculum, aiming for sustainable development."

They urged the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education to actively recruit students, stating, "To prevent closure measures, the number of students per class should be lowered to guarantee students' right to learn and reduce teachers' workload, which will lead to an increase in enrollment rates at public kindergartens."