Superintendent Jeong Raises Concerns Over Procedures for Education Grant Overhaul

Seoul Superintendent Jeong Geun-sik criticized the government for failing to adequately listen to the voices of the education field during the process of revising the Local Education Grant System (education grant), calling for procedural improvements. Superintendent Jeong expressed this stance at a press conference for the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education press corps on the 18th, stating that he had met with Vice Minister of Economy and Finance Park Hong-keun and Minister of Education Choi Gyo-jin at the Liberation Day ceremony on the 15th to convey the education community's concerns.

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Economy and Finance are attempting to change the budget allocation method to reflect the declining school-age population trend, while the education community has expressed concerns that budgets may decrease. The Ministry of Economy and Finance has stated that it intends to utilize the Future Response Fund, using excess tax revenue, flexibly for new demands beyond elementary and secondary education, such as early childhood education, higher and lifelong education, and talent development in AI and advanced fields.

Superintendent Jeong also criticized the idea of converting the funds. He explained, "Early childhood education falls under the jurisdiction of the Education Office, and higher education is also linked to elementary and secondary education. Lifelong education is also supported by the Education Office." He added, "We are already doing this, so I do not understand why we have to convert the additional tax revenue into a fund to do it again."

He also drew a line regarding criticisms from some quarters about superintendents' 'rampant cash-based pledges.' Superintendent Jeong refuted this, saying, "It is a demagogic claim to say that only superintendents cannot provide support when local governments and the central government also do so," and added that it is "essential support for student transfer rights and the revitalization of experiential learning."

The government's announcement schedule has also become unclear. Superintendent Jeong said, "I heard that the government planned to announce its stance on the 19th, but it was postponed because the two ministries failed to coordinate their opinions," adding, "It is unclear how the final agreement will be reached in the future."

Backlash is emerging from the education field. The '2026 Local Education Grant Reform Emergency Response,' composed of 353 education and civic groups, held a press conference on this day and urged the suspension of the reform plan's submission to the State Council in August and the withdrawal of the linkage system abolition. The Emergency Response claimed, "The Yoon Suk-yeol administration advocates a government of national sovereignty, but there has not been a single town hall meeting or substantive public discussion process to hear the voices of students, parents, teachers, and education workers during the education finance reform process." They argued, "It is hard to accept why national sovereignty must be completely excluded and be an exception only in the education sector."