Parents, teachers split on merging kindergartens and daycare

Children attend a class at a kindergarten in Chuncheon, Gangwon, Monday. [YONHAP]

Parents and teachers are showing mixed reactions toward the government’s plan to merge kindergartens and daycare centers.

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare on Monday announced their plan to merge kindergartens and daycares into a single educational institution, mainly "to ensure improved quality of education for every child."

According to the plan, the merger will begin in 2025 after related laws and operational systems are revised by next year.

Kindergartens are classified as schools under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education and metropolitan and provincial offices of education. Children between the ages of three and five attend them.

Daycares, on the other hand, are classified as community centers under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and local governments. Children between the ages of zero to five go to daycare centers.

“I am sending my child to a daycare center because I like how the institution focuses on care itself,” a person who has a five-year-old child told the JoongAng Ilbo.

“The merging will limit the range of options for parents.”

Others said the newly merged institutions may not be able to offer good education because they may be busy taking care of young children.
Some 26,000 people has signed a petition against the government’s plan as of Tuesday.

Some are welcoming the plan.

“I need to send my child to a kindergarten soon, but I heard that it is very competitive to sign up for public kindergartens,” said a person who has a one-year-old child.

“I believe the plan could be an alternative.”

Teachers at kindergartens and daycares differ on the plan as the two institutions require different qualifications.

To become a kindergarten teacher, candidates need to graduate with a three-year college degree or major in early childhood education at a four-year college. For public kindergartens, candidates need to pass the national teacher qualification test.

“Daycare center and kindergarten teachers are different educationally and professionally,” said Park Mi-kyeong, who has been teaching at kindergartens for 23 years.

Others say the unification is necessary in order to improve working conditions for teachers and the education offered to children.

“It is a pity that there are educational gaps between children because of the adults’ financial conditions,” said a public kindergarten teacher.

The government provides subsidies of 280,000 won ($226) per child between the age of three to five to pay for educational institutions. But parents need an average of 135,000 won more to pay for children who are going to private kindergartens, according to the education ministry.

BY CHANG YOON-SEO, CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]