Seoul Allocates 13.34 Billion Won for Early Childhood Integration... "Aiming to Close Gaps in Education and Care"

Support for Personnel Expenses and Environment Improvement
85 Billion Won for Facilities Where Teacher-Child Ratio Exceeds 1:13

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has secured 13.34 billion won in special grants from the Ministry of Education this year to promote the integration of early childhood education and care, and plans to utilize these funds to support kindergartens and daycare centers within the city.

On April 3, the Office announced its '2026 Basic Plan for Promoting the Integration of Early Childhood Education and Care' and shared these details.

The Office will allocate a total of 8.5 billion won in personnel expenses for assistant staff in 464 classes for 3-year-olds at kindergartens and daycare centers where the teacher-to-child ratio exceeds 1:13. The aim is to reduce the number of children per teacher, thereby enhancing teacher-child interaction and enabling teachers to fully focus on education and care.

Regarding the establishment of a safety net, a total budget of 2.7 billion won will be utilized. To prepare for disasters such as fires and earthquakes and to maintain inclusive education facilities for children with disabilities, each of 835 kindergartens and daycare centers operating the Nuri Curriculum will be provided with 3 million won.

Support will also be provided for literacy education through picture book activities. For 2,000 daycare centers serving only infants aged 0 to 2, five types of picture books, seven types of teaching and learning materials, and five types of play guides will be provided. In addition, 110 kindergartens and daycare centers will receive on-site, customized consulting to enhance the quality of literacy education.

Furthermore, a 'resource map' will be created to visually display facilities and experience programs available for early childhood education and care. The objective is to help stakeholders—such as kindergartens, daycare centers, and guardians of young children—identify facilities and resources available within their local area based on their needs. The Office plans to cooperate with district offices and related organizations for joint implementation.

A representative from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education stated, "In 2026, we will provide diverse and high-quality integrated services for early childhood education and care, ensuring that all young children receive equal access to quality education and care without discrimination, based on a solid foundation for integration."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.