Yoon Orders "Lowering School Starting Age, Promoting Public Debate and Bipartisan Discussions"

Ahn Sang-hoon, Senior Secretary for Social Affairs at the Presidential Office Briefing
Senior Secretary Ahn: "After-school care services will be provided until parents finish work"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] President Yoon Suk-yeol has instructed the Ministry of Education to promptly initiate public deliberation regarding the education system reform plan, which centers on lowering the elementary school entrance age to 5 years old.

On the 2nd, Ahn Sang-hoon, Senior Secretary for Social Affairs at the Presidential Office, stated during a briefing held at the Yongsan Presidential Office briefing room, "President Yoon has given instructions that, even if the reform is necessary, due to conflicting interests among stakeholders, public deliberation and consultation are required. Therefore, the Ministry of Education should swiftly promote public deliberation and act as a facilitator to enable bipartisan discussions in the National Assembly."

Ahn emphasized that although "the lower limit of school entrance age was promoted during the Roh Moo-hyun administration and is implemented in many advanced countries mainly in the Anglo-American world, making it a reform plan with several advantages," the strong backlash from parents and others due to the announcement of lowering the school entrance age without public persuasion and deliberation has led to a decision to undergo a public opinion gathering process among stakeholders.

Regarding the purpose of lowering the elementary school entrance age, Ahn explained, "In the context of low birth rates, local government fiscal grants are sufficient. The goal of education reform is to promote the safe growth of children and reduce parental burdens by integrating education and care at least up to elementary school, along with diversifying talent development."

He added, "The basic starting point is to provide after-school care services until parents return from work. The issue of adjusting the school entrance age is merely one means within this policy direction. It is linked directly or indirectly with other reform tasks and can be an alternative to simultaneously untangle the complex issues, but it is not the goal itself."

Ahn stated, "It is also the Ministry of Education’s responsibility to find policy solutions to various concerns. There is no predetermined answer. When there is a proper reform plan, the government has the primary responsibility to conduct public deliberation and communicate with the people, and the National Assembly also shares this responsibility." He earnestly appealed, "I sincerely ask for wisdom so that the public takes an interest in education reform and a grand consensus can be reached."

In response to reporters’ question about whether it feels like a step back due to public opinion, he replied, "What President Yoon said was that, since these issues involve multiple and complex interests, social public deliberation and consultation are necessary. However, the government cannot just stand by, so the Ministry of Education should promptly promote public deliberation."

He continued, "President Yoon’s instruction during the Ministry of Education’s work report was that, even if the reform is necessary, due to conflicting interests among stakeholders, public deliberation and consultation are needed. The Ministry of Education should promote public deliberation on this matter and ultimately act as a facilitator to enable bipartisan discussions in the National Assembly."

When asked if there is an intention to withdraw the plan if parents and educational organizations continue to oppose it even after the public deliberation process, he answered, "No matter how good a reform policy is, it cannot go against the will of the people." However, he reiterated, "Since no conclusion has been reached yet, we are at the starting stage of confirming public opinion through deliberation."