Yoo: "Yubotonghap is an Important Goal"... Yoon Seok-yeol's Education Reform 'Starts'

Reduce the Gap in Kindergarten and Daycare Meal Fees
Plan to Help Solve Low Birthrate Through Neulbom School
People Power Party to Actively Support Legislation

[Asia Economy Reporter Geum Boryeong] Seong Il-jong, Chairman of the Policy Committee of the People Power Party, stated on the 16th, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration will definitely achieve efficient reform by integrating childcare and education curricula through the unification of daycare and kindergarten."

Chairman Seong said at the party-government consultation on education reform held at the National Assembly on the same day, "There are several agendas that we need to reform in the education curriculum, and one of them is the unification of daycare and kindergarten," explaining this. The unification of daycare and kindergarten is a policy to integrate the divided processes of daycare centers and kindergartens into one, interpreted as a strong support for President Yoon Seok-yeol's 'education reform' drive.

Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, is delivering opening remarks at the Education Reform Party-Government Council held at the National Assembly on the 16th. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

Chairman Seong emphasized, "There is an unbalanced distribution of meal and snack expenses between kindergartens and daycare centers, and the party requested support from the education offices for this, and I am grateful to the superintendents who are positively reviewing it," adding, "If we overcome this barrier well, a very good condition will be created for the unification of daycare and kindergarten, which no government has been able to achieve so far."

Regarding meal and snack expenses, the Ministry of Education is expected to take the lead in resolving the issue. After the party-government consultation, Chairman Seong met with reporters and said, "I asked the Ministry of Education to thoroughly prepare for the unification of daycare and kindergarten and requested them to establish a management system and integration plan," explaining, "The gap issue between kindergartens and daycare centers will also be addressed within this plan."

He continued, "The unification of daycare and kindergarten is one of the very important goals we must pursue, and it is a significant agenda selected as a national task by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration," adding, "I requested thorough preparation from now on for smooth unification."

The party and government also plan to address the low birthrate issue by promoting the 'Neulbom School.' Neulbom School is centered on taking care of elementary school students until 8 p.m. Chairman Seong said, "I hope that Yoon Seok-yeol's Neulbom School will be an important opportunity to resolve various difficulties faced by parents," adding, "Behind this is the reason to reduce the burden on parents, but it could also be one solution to the country's low birthrate problem through Neulbom School."

The party and government will select 200 elementary schools nationwide to conduct a pilot project for Neulbom School and plan to expand it to all schools from 2025. To this end, the People Power Party requested the government to establish various types of care systems and identify human resources.

The government also expressed the need for party support, especially emphasizing 'legislative support.' Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, who attended the meeting, said, "From this year, the first year of education reform, the party's support and cooperation are crucial," adding, "I ask for much help as you did with the special account last year." The 11 trillion won scale 'Special Account for Higher and Lifelong Education Support' was processed by both ruling and opposition parties as a budget subsidiary bill.

The People Power Party is expected to actively support through legislation. Song Eon-seok, the party's floor deputy leader, said, "When issues arise, we will actively create and legislate bills."