Gyeongbuk Office of Education to Provide Free Education for Five-Year-Olds of Foreign Nationality... 20,000 Won Monthly for Public and 110,000 Won for Private Kindergartens

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education (Superintendent Lim Jong-sik) announced on September 5 that it will provide free education for five-year-old children of foreign nationality attending public and private kindergartens in the province, ensuring that all children receive the same early childhood education benefits regardless of nationality.

In August, the Ministry of Education announced a plan to provide free education for five-year-olds, aiming to strengthen the public nature of early childhood education and care and to substantially reduce the childcare burden on parents.

Gyeongbuk Office of Education

Starting with this initiative, the government plans to implement a phased policy of free education and care for children aged three to five by 2027. However, the Ministry of Education's support plan did not include children of foreign nationality.

In response, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education has decided to extend free education to five-year-old children of foreign nationality attending public and private kindergartens in the province, based on the "Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education Multicultural Education Promotion Ordinance." The support will also be applied retroactively from July. The support amount will be the same as for children of Korean nationality: public kindergartens will receive an additional 20,000 won per month for after-school programs (increased from 50,000 won to 70,000 won), and private kindergartens will receive 110,000 won per month for early childhood education expenses.

This expansion of support holds significant policy meaning, as it addresses the reality of the increasing number of children of foreign nationality and alleviates the educational burden, ensuring that all children can start their education on an equal footing.

Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of the Gyeongbuk Office of Education, stated, "Children of foreign nationality are also valuable members of our local community and will grow up here. Educational opportunities should not differ based on nationality. The expansion of free education will be a step closer to education on an equal starting line, and we will continue to do our best to realize discrimination-free early childhood education and a warm educational environment in Gyeongbuk."