Financial Support Provided to Seoul Alternative Schools... First Among Nationwide City and Provincial Education Offices

Entrance Preparation Fund 200,000~300,000 Won... Operational Expenses Also Supported

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced on the 27th that it will be the first among metropolitan and provincial offices of education nationwide to provide financial support, including entrance preparation funds, to alternative education institutions.

Starting next month, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education plans to sequentially support teacher salaries, educational activity operation expenses, meal expenses for enrolled students, and entrance preparation funds for alternative education institutions and students registered with the Seoul Office of Education. The funding will utilize 7 billion KRW in educational expense subsidies secured through consultation with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education’s own budget, and special grants from the Ministry of Education.

Entrance preparation funds and meal expenses will be promoted for immediate payment following the announcement in March. The entrance preparation fund is 200,000 KRW for elementary school courses and 300,000 KRW for middle and high school courses. Meal expenses are 6,000 KRW per meal and will be supported for up to 180 days per year according to the number of students.

Teacher salaries and educational activity expenses will be determined and supported after a public contest and review process.

Alternative education facilities are not officially recognized as schools but provide alternative education, operating curricula different from regular schools. Youth who have difficulty adapting to school or prefer alternative education courses attend alternative education institutions.

There are a total of 77 alternative education institutions registered with the Seoul Office of Education, and it is estimated that about 20 unregistered facilities remain. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education plans to conduct additional registration around May to bring unregistered facilities into the formal system.

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, stated, "Through active support for alternative education institutions, we will strive to ensure that students enrolled in alternative education institutions, who have been marginalized so far, can receive education without discrimination," adding, "We plan to guarantee the autonomy unique to alternative education institutions while also strengthening publicness and transparency."