Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education's Budget for Next Year 10.8 Trillion Won... Jeong Geun-sik "Education Finance Must Be Expanded for the Future" (Comprehensive)

3.1% Cut from This Year's Budget
"Efforts Made but Austerity Inevitable"
Focus on Ensuring Basic Academic Skills Support

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has prepared a budget of 10.8 trillion won for next year. This represents a 3.1% decrease compared to this year's budget, reflecting efforts to improve spending efficiency in line with the government's fiscal austerity policy. The budget has been allocated to initiatives such as the Neulbom School and AI (Artificial Intelligence) digital textbooks promoted by the Ministry of Education, as well as the basic academic skills guarantee, a flagship policy of Jeong Geun-sik, who took office as Seoul Education Superintendent last month. Superintendent Jeong emphasized that even with a declining school-age population, education finances must be increased to prepare for the future.

On the 1st, Jeong Geun-sik, Seoul Education Superintendent, submitted the first main budget proposal for next year to the Seoul Metropolitan Council and stated in his policy speech, "The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education's budget for next year was prepared to fulfill educational responsibilities for changes open to the future. However, fiscal austerity is inevitable." The main budget prepared for next year is 10.8102 trillion won, with personnel expenses increasing by 178.8 billion won to 7.2744 trillion won, while school operating expenses, education project expenses, and facility project expenses all decreased compared to this year.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Government Pushes Spending Efficiency on Education Offices... Jeong Geun-sik: "Education Finance Must Expand for the Future"

Earlier, the government announced through the 'Fiscal Response Plan Following the 2024 Tax Revenue Re-estimation' that the local education finance grants for this year will be reduced from the originally budgeted 68.9 trillion won to about 64.6 trillion won, a decrease of approximately 4.3 trillion won. The enforcement decree was also revised to promote spending efficiency targeting metropolitan and provincial education offices to reduce the budget.

Accordingly, it is interpreted that each education office has cut its budget for next year. In particular, the budget for facility projects related to school facility improvements was set at 474.196 billion won, down 45.9% (402.881 billion won) from this year's 877.077 billion won. Among these, the general facility budget was allocated at 380.71 billion won, a 49% reduction from this year's 747.19 billion won. The budget for meal service facilities also decreased by 66.8% (57.184 billion won) from 85.646 billion won this year to 28.462 billion won. The budget for new and expanded school construction increased by 46.7% (20.72 billion won) compared to this year.

Superintendent Jeong argued that education finances should not be cut due to the declining school-age population. He said, "Local education finances consist of 67% personnel expenses and 80% of rigid fixed costs such as institutional operating expenses and facility expenses, leaving insufficient resources to directly support students' teaching and learning activities. The argument that education finances should be reduced because the school-age population is decreasing is equivalent to giving up on the nation's future. Education finances must be further expanded to responsibly respond to changes open to the future."

[Source: Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education]

Budget Allocated to Flagship Policy 'Basic Academic Skills Guarantee'... Reflecting Government Policies

Superintendent Jeong stated, "Despite the crisis situation where the budget has decreased compared to last year, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has carefully deliberated and consulted to prepare a budget that is absolutely necessary." First, the budget was allocated to major projects promoted since Superintendent Jeong's inauguration. This includes establishing the 'Seoul Learning Diagnosis and Healing Center (tentative name)' to guarantee basic academic skills and overcome educational disparities, supporting learning for students with disabilities and multicultural backgrounds. Superintendent Jeong announced plans to pilot the center by region starting next year and fully expand it to all 25 autonomous districts by 2027.

84 billion won will be invested in elementary basic academic skills improvement support, and 37 billion won in secondary basic academic skills improvement support. 39 billion won is allocated for education recovery support. Support for multicultural students and special education-related and after-school activities will receive 3.8 billion won and 27.7 billion won respectively.

Additionally, the budget for the Neulbom School program, promoted nationwide by the government, includes 24.2 billion won for program operation costs, 10.8 billion won for Neulbom environment construction, and 49.8 billion won for operation and snack costs. For AI digital textbooks, which will be introduced sequentially starting next year, 25.6 billion won is allocated, along with 147.2 billion won for purchasing smart devices and 9.7 billion won for building and maintaining school wireless networks.

Budgets are also allocated to support handling issues such as sexual crimes, school violence, and infringement of teachers' rights. 3.6 billion won is allocated for school violence prevention measures, and 2.7 billion won for education activity protection support. Additionally, budgets are assigned for forming education governance in education support offices. Customized parent education and visiting parent training will receive 1 billion won, and 500 million won will be invested in operating education community public forums.

Meanwhile, revenue budgets are composed of ▲central government transfers of 6.5987 trillion won ▲local government transfers of 4.0396 trillion won ▲other transfers of 13.2 billion won ▲own revenue of 135.9 billion won ▲carryover from the previous year of 13.5 billion won ▲financial asset recovery of 9.3 billion won, totaling 10.8102 trillion won.

Expenditure budgets include ▲personnel expenses of 7.2744 trillion won ▲school and institution operating expenses of 1.0119 trillion won ▲education project expenses of 2.0339 trillion won ▲facility project expenses of 474.2 billion won ▲financial activities (temporary loan management and BTL repayment) of 700 million won ▲contingency funds of 15.1 billion won, totaling 10.8102 trillion won.

Superintendent Jeong said, "The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will use next year's reduced 'crisis budget' as an 'opportunity budget' and 'responsibility budget' to revitalize schools. Since this budget was prepared through difficult choices and concentration, we will make every effort to ensure that not a single won is wasted."