By Chung Ah-young
Citizens seem to have begun realizing “free childcare programs” are not really free and will be halted whenever state or municipal coffers are empty. A survey showed a public preference for differential support based on parents’ income levels rather than the current same payment for all.
According to the survey of 2,000 adults by the Korean Education Development Institute (KEDI), 37.2 percent of respondents preferred income-based support for childcare or education for children aged three to five.
Another 29 percent said that equal payment regardless of family income ― the current system ― was desirable.
It seems that people regard the differential support as more rational than equal payments, a researcher from KEDI said.
“The survey results seemed to reflect people’s anxiety over whether the free preschool programs can be operated if the government has no stable financial resources,” said Im So-hyun, an associate research fellow.
“The interests of the respondents, adults in general aged between 19 and 75, might be different from parents who have children entitled to the preschool programs.”
The free preschool program, or Nuri Curriculum, has created budgetary conflicts every year between regional education offices and the central government.
In 2013, the government introduced the curriculum for all children aged three to five, as part of President Park Geun-hye's campaign pledge to strengthen the nation’s responsibility for early childhood education and care.
But due to the snowballing burden on the state coffers for the expanded program, the government ordered regional education offices to assume the burden of funding the program in 2015.
The offices have refused, however, citing a lack of financing. They also claim no responsibility for provision, especially for financing daycare centers, which are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Kindergartens are under the Ministry of Education, but some municipal councils have refused to provide funds for these as well, citing fairness with daycare centers.
Concerning the divided jurisdiction, the survey showed that 64.8 percent of respondents supported integration of daycare centers and kindergartens to resolve this conflict. Only 11.8 percent preferred the current system.
“As far as the regional education offices shouldering the burden of financing the daycare centers, the bone of contention still remains,” Im said.
With the conflict continuing, heads of 14 out of 17 education offices nationwide, which have refused to allot the budgets for the program, have taken turns staging a one-person rally in front of Cheong Wa Dae since Feb. 4.