2018-2022 유아교육 중장기 발전방안 연구

Abstract

The study intended to review the outcomes and limitations of the previous 5-year (2013-2017) developmental plan of the early childhood education, and to suggest directions and key policy tasks of the next 5 year Plan for the new government by reflection upon possible changes of the future society and international trends of early childhood education policy.

Data were gathered through questionnaires and interviews by involving diverse stakeholder groups including 134 officials from 17 local offices of education, academia, and 2,500 citizens. Two regional workshops were held with about 50 kindergarten directors and teachers as well as local government officials in order to review desirable directions and policy tasks for the next 5 years in Korea.

Both responded citizens and officials of local offices of education considered the continued low-birth rates and advancement of technology will have impacts on early childhood education in the future to a great extent. While the citizens tended to focus on governmental support for parents for their child-rearing, the local officials emphasized well-being and happiness of young children. The selected priority policy tasks by the respondents were the expansion of public kindergartens and the increase of the government subsidies for early childhood education. A set of directions for the future include heightening quality of early childhood education, strengthening multi-sectoral coordination, pursuing a balance and harmony between diverse services, fortifying support for parental child-rearing, and promoting rights and professionalism of early childhood teachers.