"Securing Educational Funds by Selling Closed Schools"… Cha Jeong-in, Busan Superintendent Candidate, Announces 4th Pledge for 'Busan-style Integrated Early Childhood Education'

Reducing Teacher-to-Child Ratios, Eliminating Inequality in Meal and Snack Fee Support
"All Young Children in Busan Must Be Guaranteed Education and Care Without Discrimination"

Cha Jeong-in, a preliminary candidate running in the Busan Superintendent of Education by-election, announced his fourth pledge on the 28th, titled "Establishment of Busan-type Early Childhood Education Integration."

Candidate Cha stated, "We will promote policies to ensure that all young children in Busan receive high-quality education and care without discrimination."

He emphasized, "The current reality, where the operational system and support differ depending on the institution chosen by parents, infringes on the equal educational rights of young children. We will take the lead in Busan to achieve tangible results in early childhood education integration."

Cha Jeong-in, a preliminary candidate for the Busan Superintendent of Education re-election, is announcing the 4th campaign pledge on the 28th.

The government's ongoing early childhood education integration aims to reduce the gap between kindergartens and daycare centers and provide equal educational opportunities to all young children. However, delays in policy coordination at the central government level have led to ongoing confusion on the ground.

In response, Candidate Cha stressed, "Busan must take the initiative to create real change."

He promised to implement six policies to ensure that all young children in Busan receive equal education and care without discrimination: gradual expansion of free early childhood education, reduction of teacher-to-child ratios, elimination of disparities in meal and snack fees and experiential activity costs, expansion of teacher training opportunities and support for substitute teachers, strengthening of early childhood education integration policies and expansion of public facilities, and establishment of an early childhood education integration execution body.

He plans to gradually expand free early childhood education in Busan by providing additional support for tuition and childcare fees for 5-year-olds, 4-year-olds, and 3-year-olds. By reducing the teacher-to-child ratio in kindergartens and daycare centers, he aims to improve the quality of education and care. He also intends to resolve inequalities in meal and snack fee support so that all young children can have safe and balanced meals regardless of the institution.

Furthermore, to activate exchanges between kindergarten and daycare teachers and enhance their expertise, he plans to operate the "Happy Child Teacher Learning Community" and support substitute teachers through the education office when teachers participate in training.

In addition to the Dadaepo Early Childhood Education Promotion Center and the Gijang Cheolma Early Play Experience Center, he plans to expand public play and experiential facilities in each region and support kindergartens and daycare centers to connect with after-school programs for elementary students.

As a funding plan to realize free education for young children, he proposed actively considering the sale and utilization of closed school sites. Emphasizing that the success of education lies not in classrooms or educational support facilities, he stressed the need to reduce costs associated with maintaining unnecessary educational assets and manage the budget in a way that enhances practical educational benefits.

He said, "To address Busan's low birthrate and regional extinction crisis, we must shift the educational paradigm. We are considering allocating all funds secured from the sale of closed school sites to the budget for realizing a future education city."

Candidate Cha's camp explained that this pledge clearly expresses the intention to pursue proactive policies that break away from existing educational administrative practices and transform Busan into an educational and cultural city amid the low birthrate and regional extinction crisis.

Cha Jeong-in said, "Based on my experience as a legal expert and university president, I will cooperate with the central government and the National Assembly to secure related laws and budgets. Through the establishment of Busan-type early childhood education integration, the education office will take the lead in creating an environment where all young children can receive happy education and care without discrimination, making Busan a city where raising children is truly pleasant."