유치원 방과후 과정 서비스 질 제고 방안 연구

Abstract

As of April 1, 2023, it was reported that 99.9% of kindergartens nationwide were operating after-school programs, and 93.5% of young children attending kindergarten were participating in these programs. Efforts for the enhancement of the quality of kindergarten after-school programs by the Ministry of Education and provincial offices of education have continued, but there exists a high demand for improvements in both realms of operation and utilization. After-school program services experiencing quantitative expansion, it is now an opportune moment for their systematic and refined qualitative improvements. This study aims to assess the current status of kindergarten after-school programs, gather demands for improvements from their operators and users, analyze related domestic and international policies and operational cases, and derive insights to propose effective policy measures for enhancing the quality of kindergarten after-school programs.

In this study, various research methods were employed, including a literature review, case studies, and surveys. The case studies were conducted with eight kindergartens, and they included unique features of kindergarten after-school program operations such as the operation of professional learning communities, integration of the Nuri Curriculum, child-oriented and play-based after-school programs, after-school programs linked to community, to all-day care, and to care coordinated between kindergarten and home-based childcare centers or elementary school. The survey involved 2,093 participants in total, consisting of 552 kindergarten directors/vice directors, 525 personnel responsible for after-school programs, and 1,016 parents whose children were using after-school programs. This survey aimed to investigate the current status and demands for improvements in the operation and utilization of kindergarten after-school programs.

The results of this study are summarized as follows: Through the case studies, it was confirmed that to operate high-quality after-school programs, there is a need for a change in perception, recognizing after-school programs as educational activities, along with substantial financial and resource supports for their high-quality operations. It was particularly emphasized that kindergarten after-school programs should consider the local conditions and the kindergarten's specific situation when seeking to collaborate with other institutions within the community, such as elementary schools, childcare centers, and regional centers for children.

The responses of survey on the operation of after-school programs indicate that, in regard to appropriate dismissal time, directors/vice directors, after-school program personnel, and parents predominantly favored dismissal before 4:00 PM. However, parents expressed a slightly greater preference for a later dismissal time compared to directors/vice directors and after-school program personnel. As for appropriate operational approach, directors/vice directors and after-school program personnel mostly considered a comfortable, restful, and play-based care activity-focused approach as the most preferred. In contrast, parents opted for an approach that was centered on play-based educational activities integrated with the curriculum. Related to emphasized aspects, directors/vice directors and after-school program personnel emphasized free play according to children's interests as the most crucial aspect. Parents, on the other hand, highlighted a variety of experiential activities, while less favorably choosing comfortable rest. With respect to extracurricular activity programs, the majority of all groups (directors/vice directors, after-school personnel, and parents) agreed that it is necessary to continue with currently operating extracurricular activities despite some limitations (such as one activity per day, one hour per day). However, 31.3 percentage of directors/vice directors and 33.7 percentage of parents expressed the need to ease up these restrictions.

The improvement demands for kindergarten after-school program services were categorized by priority and secondary tasks in various areas. Specifically in the operational environment, top priority or secondary tasks for its improvement were financial support for class operating expenses in after-school programs, enhancement of support to promote the psychological and emotional well-being of children who spend extended hours in after-school programs, provision of counseling and healing programs for after-school program staff, creation of exclusive classrooms suited for childcare in after-school programs, ensuring the stable and nutritious provision of meals and snacks during school breaks, establishment of cooperative measures with relevant agencies to guarantee the safety of children and teachers.

As for operational content, the selected tasks were conducting specialized programs in after-school programs that focus on activities aligned with child development and interests rather than being primarily centered on academic learning, emphasizing interaction between children and teachers, promoting cooperation and interaction among children of the same age, encouraging distinctive after-school programs tailored to the characteristics of kindergartens, establishing an evaluation and feedback system for after-school program operations, aligning after-school program operations with play-based educational curricula, flexibly adjusting after-school program hours, ensuring access to after-school programs for all children who wish to participate.

With regard to the operational system, the opted tasks were strengthening administrative support to allow kindergarten staff to concentrate on educational and caregiving activities, establishment of a pool of personnel who can be consistently utilized for after-school programs by education offices, ensuring a sufficient number of certified full-time teachers to manage the after-school program operations, enhancing the professional competence of after-school program staff.

The policy objectives and directions set in this study are as follows: The policy vision for kindergarten after-school programs is to create a tight and safe high-quality educational and caregiving environment. This vision is in line with the policies for Consolidation of Early Childhood Education and Care and Neulbom School service at elementary school. Also, the policy goal for after-school programs is to practice child-centered, sustainable educational and caregiving within these programs. To achieve the policy vision and goal, the study has selected diversity, equity, and professionalism as directions for implementation.

In this study, various promotion tasks have been proposed according to the three identified directions for implementation. These proposed tasks for diversifying and utilizing after-school programs are 1) Guaranteeing the discretion of operation and the choice of utilization and 2) Implementing a substantial after-school program taking into account the interest and development of children. The tasks for providing well-balanced supports to build equity in after-school programs include 1) ensuring access to the program for all applicants, 2) expanding budgetary support for after-school programs, and 3) protecting the psychological and emotional health of children and after-school personnel. The tasks for maintaining professional responses are 1) strengthening administrative support, 2) establishing a systematic personnel management system, and 3) creating a community solidarity and collaborative ecosystem.

Conclusively, strengthening the national responsibility for education and caregiving entails systematizing a legal support and protection framework to ensure that young children can grow and live in a healthy and safe manner as integral members of the country and society. The researcher of study proposes the establishment of a Support Center for After-School Programs (tentative name) as a major foundation for the implementation of after-school program policies. This center would help to create a comprehensive and high-quality operational system for after-school programs. Furthermore, the study has provided an execution road-map, which includes detailed tasks, for implementing the policy objectives to reinforce the quality caregiving and accessibility of kindergarten after-school programs.