Ministry of Education, President Yoon's Livelihood Forum
2,000 Sites in 1st Semester, Nationwide Expansion from 2nd Semester
Gradual Expansion to Benefit All Grades by 2026
Concerns over Teacher Workload, Civil Servants to Assist
The government will introduce Neulbom School to all first-grade elementary schools nationwide this year. The goal is to implement it in 2,000 locations nationwide in the first semester and expand it to all elementary schools in the second semester. By 2026, it will be expanded to all grades. The government has decided to accelerate the introduction of Neulbom School to address the low birthrate issue, and plans to resolve concerns from frontline sites such as workload through administrative support.
On the 5th, the Ministry of Education announced the "2024 Neulbom School Promotion Plan" containing these details at the "Public Discussion on Livelihood Issues with the People" chaired by President Yoon Seok-yeol.
Neulbom School is a comprehensive educational program conducted mainly at schools outside of regular classes. Unlike the existing after-school and care system in elementary schools, which had application priorities, Neulbom School has no application priority, lottery, or rejection. It is effectively a system that "anyone can use," and with the introduction of Neulbom School, the previously fragmented after-school programs and care services in elementary schools will be integrated into one system.
President Yoon Suk-yeol salutes the national flag while attending the "Public Livelihood Discussion with the People - Ninth Session, Neulbom School with Warm Care and Education" held on the 5th at Shinwoo Elementary School in Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do. [Photo by Yonhap News]
The core of this year's Neulbom School operation plan is the "nationwide introduction within the year" targeting first graders. To respond to the challenging "low birthrate crisis" Korea is facing, Neulbom School will be introduced to all elementary schools nationwide this year. In the first semester, Neulbom School will start in more than 2,000 schools nationwide, and in the second semester, it will begin in all elementary schools nationwide. By 2026, it will be introduced to all grades. To this end, a phased expansion plan will be implemented, with the scope expected to extend to second grade next year.
This reflects the government's intention to reduce private education expenses. Considering that the main cause of the low birthrate phenomenon is identified as the "burden of childcare costs," private education expenses for elementary schools have steadily increased over the past 10 years, excluding the COVID-19 period. On the other hand, the participation rate in after-school programs, which contributes to reducing private education expenses, has declined. According to Ministry of Education statistics, the after-school participation rate dropped sharply from 73% in 2014 to 50% in 2023.
Regarding operating hours, which is the biggest concern for parents, the hours have been extended compared to the existing after-school and care system. It is planned to operate from morning or after regular classes until the desired time (up to 8 p.m.), and student and parent demand surveys will be conducted and reflected.
Strengthening customized support measures for target groups such as students with disabilities is also a notable point. To encourage participation of students with disabilities in Neulbom School, support will be provided not only to general schools but also to special schools' elementary courses (177 schools in 2023). If students with disabilities wish, support measures have been finalized to enable smooth use of after-school and care services in the community outside of school.
From this year, first graders using Neulbom School will be provided with customized programs free of charge for 2 hours daily. Various programs will be offered considering students' growth and development stages and parental demand. A Ministry of Education official explained, "Through this, first-grade elementary students are expected to adapt quickly to school and engage in play-centered arts and physical activities," adding, "By 2025, the program will be expanded to second grade, providing 2 hours of customized free programs."
Regarding administrative burdens that some teachers fear, the principle of simultaneously promoting policies to alleviate teachers' administrative workload related to Neulbom School alongside its nationwide introduction was reiterated.
However, with less than a month left before the new semester starts, there are ongoing concerns at the school level about the burden of establishing Neulbom Support Offices. Additionally, there is opposition claiming that separating Neulbom School duties from teachers' work places a burden on educational public officials such as care workers. Voices are intertwined, including teachers arguing that care should be transferred to local governments, care workers demanding improved working conditions, and educational public officials worried about increased workload, which could potentially lead to conflicts with the government.
In response, the government decided to place temporary teachers at schools during the first semester as a transitional measure to prevent new Neulbom School duties from being added to existing teachers' workloads. In the second semester, Neulbom staff will be assigned to schools to take full charge of all Neulbom School-related administrative tasks, including after-school and care duties previously handled by teachers. Neulbom staff will be autonomously operated by each metropolitan and provincial office of education according to their conditions, including civil servants, public officials, short-term contract workers, and retired teachers.
By 2025, a dedicated Neulbom Support Office will be established in schools, and in large schools with many students, local government officials will serve as heads of the Neulbom Support Office. To this end, an increase and expansion of the total personnel budget for local government officials will also be pursued. A Ministry of Education official stated, "The nationwide introduction of Neulbom School can serve as a foundation to solve the low birthrate problem and the increase in private education expenses," adding, "We will continue to listen to various opinions and consider diverse measures to alleviate parents' concerns and reduce the workload at the field level."
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