Addition of 'Health and Nutrition Teacher' to Kindergarten Teacher Qualifications under the Early Childhood Education Act

Deliberation and Resolution of Partial Amendment to the Early Childhood Education Act at the State Council
Management Entities of Private Kindergartens Specified as 'Corporations or Individuals'

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Health teachers and nutrition teachers will be added to the qualification criteria for teachers who can be assigned to kindergartens under the Early Childhood Education Act.

The Ministry of Education announced on the 3rd that it reviewed and approved a partial amendment bill to the Early Childhood Education Act at the Cabinet meeting to clarify the basis for assigning health and nutrition teachers to kindergartens.

The amendment to the Early Childhood Education Act adds health teachers (Level 1 and Level 2) and nutrition teachers (Level 1 and Level 2) to the types of teachers assigned to kindergartens, in addition to regular teachers (Level 1 and Level 2) and assistant teachers.

As health management and meal service operation in kindergartens have become more important, health and nutrition teachers have been assigned to kindergartens according to the School Health Act and School Meal Act, but since the qualification criteria were missing in the Early Childhood Education Act, the law has been amended.

Along with this, the Ministry of Education also revised terminology to clarify the meaning of the management entity of private kindergartens. The Early Childhood Education Act defines private kindergartens as kindergartens established and managed by a "corporation or a private person," and to clarify the meaning of "private person," it was changed to "individual."

Accordingly, private kindergartens are now defined as kindergartens established and managed by a "corporation or individual," clearly defining the management entity of private kindergartens and achieving consistency with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye stated, "We will continue to make efforts to expand the assignment of health and nutrition teachers to kindergartens to establish a safe quarantine system in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and to provide high-quality meal services."