Superintendents from across the country held an emergency meeting to express deep concern regarding the government's push to restructure local education finance grants.
Jung Keun-sik, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and president of the National Association of Superintendents of Education, emphasized that while the school-age population is declining, the responsibilities and educational demands placed on public education—such as basic academic proficiency, mental health support, digital transformation, and the integration of childcare and education—have not decreased.
Jung expressed concern that the education budget is being considered as a primary target for adjustment in the process of securing new financial resources. He criticized the government for unilaterally raising issues without sufficiently gathering input from superintendents.
Currently, the Ministry of Planning and Budget maintains the position that the current system, in which 20.79% of total internal tax revenue is automatically allocated to education grants, should be revised due to factors such as the declining school-age population.
Minister of Planning and Budget Park Hong-keun has emphasized in reports to the National Assembly and other venues that the government must fundamentally reform mandatory expenditures to align with the changing environment and find ways to utilize limited resources in a balanced manner.
On the other hand, the Association of Superintendents argues that just as defense spending is not reduced simply because the number of troops decreases, it is inappropriate to reduce education grants based on the decline in the school-age population. They maintain that unilateral restructuring could undermine the safety net of public education.
(Photo: Yonhap News)