Seoul Education Office Allocates Additional 996.6 Billion Won in First Supplementary Budget of the Year: "Guaranteeing Basic Academic Achievement"

2025 Main Budget Set at 11.7992 Trillion Won
'Seoul Learning Diagnosis and Growth Center' to Be Expanded to All District Education Offices

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has allocated an additional budget of 996.6 billion won in its first supplementary budget for this year, submitting it to the Seoul Metropolitan Council on May 23. If the council approves the proposal as is, the total budget for the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will increase by 996.6 billion won (9.2%) from the existing 10.8026 trillion won to 11.7992 trillion won.

The sources of revenue for the supplementary budget include 313 billion won in transfers from the central government, 404.3 billion won in transfers from local governments, and 283.6 billion won in net surplus from the 2024 fiscal year settlement.

The expenditure budget focuses on major educational policy projects such as guaranteeing basic academic achievement, innovating classes and assessments, supporting students in crisis, and creating safe and pleasant school environments.

First, 3.65 billion won will be invested to expand the Seoul Learning Diagnosis and Growth Center, which provides in-depth diagnosis and customized programs for students experiencing learning difficulties due to dyslexia, dyscalculia, or borderline intelligence, from the current four centers to all eleven district education offices.

The budget for strengthening customized instruction during class and after-school guidance for students who struggle with learning or have slower progress has also been increased by 11.8 billion won.

A total of 340 million won will be allocated for the establishment of the 'Curriculum and Assessment Support Center.' The center will be responsible for monitoring the operation of high school achievement assessments, developing AI-based written and essay-type assessment items, supporting the operation of practice schools, running a mobile student assessment advisory group, and operating an academy for experts in class and assessment innovation.

To enhance the future competencies and basic literacy of Seoul students, an additional 1.18 billion won has been allocated for operating student-customized programs utilizing the results of literacy and numeracy diagnostic tests.

Eight hundred million won will be allocated to support programs for expanding social-emotional education. Twenty-six billion won will be used for proactive hospital treatment and care support for high-risk students with mental health issues, and an additional 200 million won will be provided for counseling support for high-risk students, faculty, and guardians facing psychological and emotional challenges.

To ensure classroom safety, 1 billion won will be invested in expanding the installation of closed-circuit (CC) TV cameras around after-school care classrooms and other areas.

In addition, 1.6 billion won will be allocated for deploying safety personnel for field trips at elementary and special schools, 11.4 billion won for improving fire safety facilities, 114 billion won for replacing outdated heating and cooling systems and other aging facilities, and 42.1 billion won for improving cafeteria environments.

Jung Keunsik, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, stated, "Although there are many challenges in fiscal management, we will do our utmost to guarantee basic academic achievement, strengthen students' future competencies, and ensure healthy and safe schools." He added, "As soon as the council approves the budget, we will execute it swiftly to actively address various pending issues."