Ministry of Education Announces Revised Childcare Curriculum for Ages 0-2... "Strengthening Linkage with Nuri Curriculum"

Adjust the number of areas to 5 like the Nuri Curriculum
Integrate goals for 0-1 year and 2 year age groups by area

The Ministry of Education has prepared a revised standard childcare curriculum for ages 0 to 2 ahead of the implementation of the 'Early Childhood Education Integration.' Previously, the goals for each domain differed between the 0-1 and 2-year-old standard childcare curricula, but the revision integrates these. The number of domains was also aligned to five, matching the Nuri Curriculum, to enhance connectivity.

On the 8th, the Ministry of Education announced that it will officially release the '2024 Revised Standard Childcare Curriculum (0-2 years)' on the 9th. Earlier, in June, the Ministry announced the Early Childhood Education Integration implementation plan, stating that before the 0-5 years early childhood education curriculum is established, the standard childcare curriculum for ages 0-2 would be partially revised and implemented starting March next year. Accordingly, the revision was finalized after a public hearing in September.

Comparison Before and After the 2024 Standard Childcare Curriculum (0-2 Years). Provided by the Ministry of Education

An official from the Ministry of Education explained, "The 2024 revised standard childcare curriculum is designed to strengthen the linkage with the 3-5 years Nuri Curriculum, allowing infants to receive tailored education and care according to their developmental stages."

First, while maintaining the existing three-category system of 0-1 years, 2 years, and 3-5 years, the domain-specific goals previously divided into 0-1 and 2 years were integrated into a single 0-2 years category. To enhance linkage with the Nuri Curriculum, the 'Basic Life' and 'Physical Movement' domains were combined into the 'Physical Movement and Health' domain, adjusting the previous six domains to five, the same as the Nuri Curriculum. Content with ambiguous developmental distinctions between 0-1 and 2 years was consolidated as 'Common Content,' and terminology was revised to be easier for teachers to understand.

For example, until now, in the 'Basic Life' domain, the goal for 0-1 years was 'experiencing a healthy and safe daily life,' and for 2 years, it was 'forming the foundation of healthy and safe living habits.' In the revised childcare curriculum, the goal for 0-2 years is unified as 'enjoying physical activities indoors and outdoors and experiencing a healthy and safe daily life.'

The Ministry will develop explanatory guides and field support materials for the revised childcare curriculum to help teachers provide education and care tailored to infant developmental characteristics. The explanatory guide includes the meaning and content of the five domains and various examples. Field support materials will be developed separately for '0-1 years,' '2 years,' and 'materials for all infants.' Content for infants with disabilities, at risk of disabilities, or with migrant backgrounds will also be included. These materials will be uploaded to the Nuri Curriculum portal website by February next year and provided in print to field sites.

Teacher training on the revised standard curriculum will also be conducted. Training for 400 instructor personnel will be held twice this month, and from January next year, job training will be provided for directors and teachers. To ensure stable implementation in the field, 200 leading advisory personnel will also be trained.

Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, stated, "With the partial revision of the 0-2 years standard childcare curriculum, we aim to practice happiness-centered education and care for infants." He added, "Starting with this, we will gradually fulfill the promise of Early Childhood Education Integration to the public."