An 'irreversible' state duty: Neulbom School aims to help parents and low birthrate

Social Affairs

Published: 06 Mar. 2024, 18:36

An 'irreversible' state duty: Neulbom School aims to help parents and low birthrate

Students and parents listen to an orientation session explaining the Neulbom School child care program at Seobu Elementary School in Daejeon on Tuesday with the start of a new school semester. Starting this semester, first graders can recieve before and after school care services from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in 2,741 elementary schools nationwide. [NEWS1]

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday ordered related government agencies to follow up on measures to provide after-school care programs to elementary school students nationwide with the start of a new semester, calling it an "irreversible" state duty.

Presiding over a meeting at the Sejong government complex, Yoon reviewed progress in the government plan to expand Neulbom School, an integrated program combining after-school child care and education for students before and after classes. The program aims to alleviate the burden on working parents amid the country's low birthrate crisis.

"Neulbom School is now a national task that cannot be reversed or retreated, no matter how difficult it is," Yoon said, calling on aides to ensure its "unconditional success."

With the start of the spring semester this week, the Neulbom program is currently operating in 2,741 elementary schools nationwide. This is a significant increase from the pilot run during the second semester last year which had 459 locations.

The program will be expanded to all first graders in 6,000 elementary schools nationwide starting in the second half of this year. It will expand to include second graders starting next year and eventually be available to all elementary school students by 2026.

Noting that it is important to nip problems from the bud, Yoon ordered officials to "respond quickly and immediately resolve problems on the spot," requesting active cooperation from authorities and schools.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, center, speaks during an interagency meeting on the Neulbom School child care program at the Sejong government complex on Wednesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Ministers and senior officials from nine related agencies including the Education Ministry and Culture Ministry took part in the meeting on Wednesday supporting the Neulbom School program. The meeting was the second of its kind.

Yoon stressed that Neulbom School is a core part of the national care system and "will not only be greatly helpful for a child's healthy growth, but also be the best way to relieve parents' child care concerns." He added that the program would be an important policy to tackle the serious problem of Korea's low birthrates.

Yoon emphasized that it would be a collaborative effort. He asked the Education Ministry, local governments, provincial and municipal education offices, companies, universities and experts in various fields to take ownership of the measure and "mobilize all resources and provide careful support."

He then called on school teachers, the front-line of children's education and care, to "take interest in discovering educational programs and come up with a lot of ideas" as they design Neulbom classes.

Yoon additionally discussed the large regional disparities in education and opportunities.

"Currently, there are large differences depending on the region, between cities and rural areas," Yoon said. "However, regional disparities must be quickly resolved so that the same benefits can be enjoyed fairly everywhere."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]