Busan Office of Education Designates Six Institutions for Pilot Project of Infant and Toddler Schools

Implementing the Ideal Reserved Integration Institution Model

The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education (Superintendent Ha Yoonsoo) announced on the 21st that six institutions, including kindergartens and daycare centers, have been designated as operating agencies for the Ministry of Education's 'Pilot Project for Infant and Toddler Schools.'

This project aims to enhance the quality of education and care for infants and toddlers at kindergartens and daycare centers, and to identify an ideal model for integrated early childhood education and care institutions as envisioned in the integration policy.

Earlier this month, the Busan Office of Education recommended six kindergartens and daycare centers selected through a public contest as pilot project operating institutions to the Ministry of Education, and all of them have been finally designated as operating agencies.

The designated institutions include three private kindergartens (including two operating integrated classes), one national/public daycare center, one private daycare center, and one social welfare foundation.

Starting next month through February of next year, these six institutions will work to implement the integrated institution model by pursuing four main tasks: ensuring sufficient hours and days of service, improving teacher-to-child ratios, strengthening demand-based education and care programs, and enhancing teacher professionalism and competency.

The Office of Education also plans to focus on Busan-specific projects such as supporting the professional development of early childhood teachers, expanding support for infants' and toddlers' emotional, social, and psychological development as well as special education infrastructure, and providing support for parents of young children.

Diverse specialized projects will be promoted to realize 'integration with children with disabilities,' including on-site mental health education, mobile counseling services, group screening tests for early detection of disabilities in young children, operation of support councils for children with disabilities, and integrated education training for kindergarten and daycare staff.

Ha Yoonsoo, Superintendent of Busan Metropolitan Office of Education, said, "Through the pilot project for infant and toddler schools, our office will not only present a new standard for early childhood education but also do our utmost to achieve integrated care where all children in Busan, including those with disabilities, can be happy together."