Seongnam City Revises Ordinance on Subsidizing Educational Expenses Including "Science High School Establishment"

Full Revision of the "Educational Expenses Ordinance"
Expansion of Support for Private Kindergartens Also Included

Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Shin Sangjin) announced on July 8 that it had conducted a legislative notice from June 16 to July 7 for a full revision of the "Ordinance on Subsidizing Educational Expenses in Seongnam City" to establish a legal basis for budget support for the establishment of a science high school.

Seongnam City Hall exterior. Provided by Seongnam City

This revision is the first full amendment in 18 years since the ordinance was enacted in 2007. The title of the ordinance will be changed to "Ordinance on Subsidizing Educational Expenses and Educational Cooperation in Seongnam City," and a new provision has been added to allow the transfer of the science high school establishment budget to the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education's Special Account for Educational Expenses.

With the establishment of the legal basis for transfers to the Special Account for Educational Expenses, not only the establishment of the science high school but also other education and academic promotion projects that require large-scale budgets can now be pursued through the special account.

Additionally, the amendment adds the phrase "and other support projects" to the previously limited support items of "private kindergarten teachers' salaries and teaching materials/equipment expenses," opening up the possibility of expanding support to various areas for private kindergartens.

Shin Sangjin, Mayor of Seongnam City, stated, "This amendment is significant as it establishes an institutional foundation to improve the quality of school education and address local educational issues in response to changes in the educational environment, such as the decline in the school-age population."

The early childhood education sector expressed high expectations for the possibility of expanded support for private kindergartens. The Early Childhood Welfare Forum held a discussion session on July 3 to address the improvement of early childhood educational welfare following the full revision of the ordinance.

Lee Soonhwa, President of the Seongnam Private Kindergarten Association, said, "Private kindergartens, which have played a key role in education, actively support this amendment and look forward to various support policies from the city in the future," expressing a welcoming stance.

The revised ordinance is scheduled to be submitted as an agenda item to the Seongnam City Council in August, undergo review at the 305th extraordinary session in September, and be promulgated in October.