"Can Only Give a Fundamental Answer"
On Tuition Increase Inquiry, Instead of a Definitive Reply,
'Additional Funding Secured' Must Be a Premise
Discussion on Extending the Special Account Period, etc.
As university tuition fees have been frozen for 16 years, the Ministry of Education dismissed university presidents' demands asking about the possibility of tuition increases, stating that it can only provide "principled answers."
On the 19th, the Korea Council for University Education held the '2024 KCU Summer University Presidents Seminar' at the Grand Hyatt Incheon Hotel, providing a dialogue session between the Ministry of Education’s vice minister and university presidents. On this day, Vice Minister Oh Seok-hwan responded to a question from Kim Myung-ae, president of Dongduk Women’s University, in this manner.
Vice Minister Oh said, "We have at least opened the door through the Higher Education and Lifelong Education Special Account (Go-teuk Hoe-gye)," adding, "We will do our best to expand higher education finances without directly increasing the financial burden on students and parents." He further stated, "When the time comes, the university presidents and the Ministry of Education will deliberate together."
The Go-teuk Hoe-gye involves allocating a portion of the education tax previously used by education offices for kindergarten, elementary, and secondary education to universities. In 2022, the 2023 budget proposal, the establishment bill for the Go-teuk Hoe-gye, and partial amendments to the Local Education Finance Grant Act (Education Grant) passed the National Assembly. Currently, the Ministry of Education has restricted tuition increases by not providing subsidies to universities that raise tuition since 2012. However, it has been identified that 26 four-year universities nationwide raised tuition this year.
Park Sang-gyu, chairman of the KCU and president of Chung-Ang University, also asked Vice Minister Oh on this day, "The Go-teuk Hoe-gye is a three-year temporary measure, and two years have already passed. Are there any follow-up measures?" Vice Minister Oh replied, "With tuition frozen for 16 years, we share the difficulties of universities with the presidents and agree that various methods must be found. Since this issue is directly related to the public’s livelihood, rather than discussing whether to raise tuition in principle, I believe a new approach that the public can accept is needed when addressing the tuition issue."
He continued, "We will also consider concrete ways to promote higher education development while minimizing the public’s burden," expressing concern that "the public would find it difficult to accept any reduction in overall education finances for any reason." He explained, "The government’s position is that if the Go-teuk Hoe-gye is operated in the same manner as the education grant, it would be appropriate to proceed with extending the Go-teuk Hoe-gye period and securing additional resources."
At the seminar, presidents from 135 universities nationwide attended. The KCU will discuss "Tasks for the Co-growth of Universities and Local Communities" over two days from the 19th to the 20th.
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