2012 유아교육정책의 성과와 과제

Abstract

Recently, not only have early childhood education policies for central and local governments been gradually increasing in scope and in terms of the number of their target subjects, but they have also become increasingly diversified. In collecting preliminary data on early childhood education policies in an annual project, this study examined the overall current state of early childhood education and policies of the central and local governments supporting education. It also aimed to review all projects for the advancement of education, and especially examined two further projects as the focus policies: 'The Education Information Disclosure System for Kindergartens' and 'The Early childhood Education Development Institute'. The study methods utilized included a literature review, interviews, questionnaires, and professional consultative meetings. The results demonstrated that interest in early childhood education has been increasing in Korea. In proportion to the increase, the level of finance/funding for early childhood education has also been increasing. The ratio of young children per teacher in Korea is becoming closer to the average ratio of the OECD, and the ratio of usage of public and private finance tended to show a continuous increase. On the basis of these outcomes, in regard to the policies, some impending challenges which need to be confronted are as follows: the continual expansion of finance/funding for the support of early childhood education, the systematization of procedures involved in enactment of the policy, publicity for the policy-beneficiaries, overcoming regional differences, and the selection of and focus on the advancement of the policy.