[Population Decline Impacting Society] Substitute Teachers and Integrated Early Childhood Education... Insufficient for Rapidly Decreasing Number of Children

Disappearing Daycare Centers ②
'Substitute Teachers' Also Face Job Insecurity
Local Governments Propose Operating Expense Support
"Integrated Early Childhood Education Must Include Employment Guarantees"

The decline in birth rates is immediately affecting infant classes in daycare centers for children aged 0 to 1. Even in Seoul, where population density is high, the number of daycare children is decreasing, leading to the closure of many daycare centers and the dismissal of childcare teachers. The government has secured personnel such as substitute teachers and assistant teachers to prevent the crisis of daycare center closures and improve the treatment of childcare teachers, but there are criticisms that this is insufficient against the rapidly decreasing number of children.

Increasing Substitute Teachers, but Employment is Unstable

The Integrated Early Childhood Care Promotion Team, jointly formed by Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, visited a daycare center in the province that provides integrated care for young children with disabilities on February 29. After observing childcare activities, the daycare management system, and the use of the integrated childcare information system, they held a meeting with the teachers.
[Photo by Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education]

The government operates systems such as substitute teachers, assistant teachers, and extended care dedicated teachers to prepare for gaps in daycare teachers' duties. Among these, the substitute teacher system has been implemented by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for over 10 years since 2009, supporting dispatched personnel to improve childcare teachers' treatment.

Local governments are expanding substitute teachers to reduce the increasing workload of childcare teachers. The central and local childcare support centers dispatch substitute teachers based on priority according to the reason for support when daycare centers apply for substitute teacher support.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 3rd, the number of substitute teachers was 385 in 2009, 2,299 in 2019, 2,260 in 2020, 2,504 in 2021, 2,677 in 2022, and 2,571 as of November 2023, maintaining a level in the 2,000s. As substitute teachers were dispatched, the proportion of regular full-time childcare teachers also decreased. The proportion of regular teachers among all childcare teachers dropped from 95.0% (194,736 people) in 2012 to 72.5% (171,102 people) in 2021.

However, since these substitute teachers are also short-term contract workers with less than two years of employment, there are limits to them being a fundamental solution. According to data received by Rep. Choi Hye-young of the Democratic Party from the Ministry of Health and Welfare last year, 83% of substitute teachers nationwide are fixed-term contract workers.

In reality, substitute teachers face poor working conditions such as job insecurity and low wages. Last year, substitute teachers affiliated with the Gwangju Social Service Agency staged a sit-in demanding guaranteed break times and wage increases. Because of this, local governments are preparing support measures to guarantee the treatment of both childcare teachers and substitute teachers. In Seoul, since last month, the 'Moa Daycare Center' operation has started, which manages daycare centers at risk of closure as community-type daycare centers. The plan is to reduce the age-specific capacity to 1 to 5 children and support operating expenses equivalent to childcare fees for the reduced capacity. In Gwacheon City, Gyeonggi Province, since last month, the 'Gwacheon-type Non-Homeroom Teacher Support Project' has fully supported the labor costs of one non-homeroom teacher (such as substitute or assistant teachers) at daycare centers.

Employment Guarantee Measures Needed Even with Early Childhood Education Integration

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is holding a meeting with childcare staff after the plaque ceremony for the Seoul-type shared daycare center 'Moa Daycare Center' held on the 22nd of last month at Imadang Daycare Center in Magok 14 Complex, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Daycare teachers expect that the integration of early childhood education and care (유보통합) could be an alternative to solve the current crisis. The Ministry of Education announced last month that it would select three pilot areas and 30 model schools for the integration. Cho Sung-yeol, Secretary General of the Korea Childcare Association, said, "The purpose of early childhood education integration is to support the proper operation of remaining daycare centers," adding, "If the treatment levels of daycare and kindergarten teachers are aligned through integration, the situation could improve somewhat."

However, some point out that the treatment of childcare teachers might worsen. Park Dae-jin, Policy Director of the Public Transport Union (certified labor attorney), said, "Rather, if integration happens, childcare teacher jobs may decrease further," warning, "If the number of children gradually decreases after integration, employment is likely to favor kindergarten teachers."

Experts advise that employment considerations are necessary during the implementation of early childhood education integration. Kim Sung-chun, professor of Educational Policy at Korea National University of Education, said, "Since there is still demand for childcare, public education needs to absorb more childcare teachers," adding, "If an integrated qualification system is operated, it would provide opportunities to fulfill not only existing childcare roles but also educational functions through retraining childcare teachers." He also added, "A system should be established to enable employment for dismissed teachers as well."