Neulbom: The Future of Educare

In March 2024, the Ministry of Education (MOE) implemented the Neulbom School program in approximately 2,000 elementary schools to reduce the childcare burden of Korean parents. However, as the semester began, the implementation process was proven to be unstable, leading to considerable public criticism. Therefore, the Sungkyun Times (SKT) aims to analyze the current limitations of the Neulbom School program and its potential solutions.

What Is Neulbom School?

-A Two-in-One Program

Neulbom School is a new extracurricular program based on the collaboration of education and childcare to support the early development of elementary school students. It integrates the operating system, terminology, and infrastructure of two existing elementary school programs: daycare services, which were provided under the supervision of caregivers since 2004, and afterschool classes that have been provided by teachers since 2006. The government expects it to benefit many young parents by alleviating the problem of care deficit and lifting the burden of private education expenses. Neulbom School, which provides personalized classes focused on basic academic and social skills, arts, and sports for first graders, is classified into three sessions: 7-9 a.m., 1-5 p.m., and 5-8 p.m. In March, President Yoon Suk-yeol officially implemented the program in 2,741 elementary schools nationwide, one year earlier than the original plan. Ultimately, from 2026, all elementary school students will be eligible for Neulbom School. Currently, the government is highly optimistic about the future of the program and envisions “a comprehensive educational program that satisfies all students and parents.”

-New Policy, New Improvements

Former daycare services and afterschool classes were generally available from 1-5 p.m., with daycare services provided until 7 p.m., occasionally on demand. With Neulbom School, students can stay at school from as early as 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., benefitting working parents who cannot take care of their children during commuting hours. In addition, daycare services and afterschool classes required tuition from all, excluding low-income families, but Neulbom School includes a free program. The personalized Neulbom classes for first graders are completely free for up to two hours every day. From 2025, second graders will also be eligible for this benefit, which is expected to ease the financial burden on parents. Dinner expenses are also fully subsidized for students in the evening sessions, allowing parents to entrust their children’s regular eating habits at minimal cost. Furthermore, Neulbom School is available to all applicants, unlike other care programs that accept only a limited number of students. Likewise, various benefits arose with the implementation of the program. 

Expectations versus Reality

-Signs of Incomplete Preparation

Due to its rushed implementation one year ahead of the original plan, preparations for the Neulbom program were inadequate. Numerous schools today face a severe shortage of space and use special classrooms or even regular homerooms for the program. Problems arise since special classrooms, including science labs and libraries, are necessary for accommodating purpose-specific activities, and regular homerooms should serve as an essential area where teachers prepare for classes or counseling. Therefore, using these rooms for Neulbom School could critically decrease the quality of regular classes and negatively impact both teachers and students. This crisis is especially severe in Seoul City, where schools are already overcrowded. According to the Kyunghyang News, Principal Shim Youngmyeon of Ahyeon Elementary School asserted that many overpopulated schools in Seoul could not dedicate a room exclusive to Neulbom classes. Secondly, the subject of responsibility has not yet been settled between the school and the government. Korean Teachers and Educational Worker’s Union (KTU) claimed, “It is unclear who is responsible for safety matters and accidents that occur during Neulbom School.” The Neulbom School Guidelines presented by the MOE briefly mention that safety issues during the program may be compensated by the School Safety and Insurance Association (SSIA); however, further protocol about the specific procedure is absent. The problem is especially urgent because space and safety issues are the most essential requirements for a stable implementation.

-Teachers under Pressure

The government’s promise to deploy administrative staff and professional program instructors remains unkept, resulting in staffing shortages in many schools. According to the MOE, roughly 3,500 people, including 2,125 parttime teachers, were hired as administrative staff for the Neulbom program as of March 11th, which sums up to only 1.3 people per school. This shortage is most noticeable in rural areas with low populations. An elementary school in Southern Jeolla Province pointed out, “We are located in the city center with nearly 600 students, but the shortage in applicants for teaching was so severe that hiring retirees was our only choice.” The KTU also mentioned that vice principals and full-time teachers were assigned to Neulbom-related administrative tasks in some schools that failed to recruit part-time teachers. A survey conducted by the KTU indicated that among 611 schools, 53.7% of Neulbom program instructors were actually part-time and full-time teachers, highlighting the fact that teachers inevitably had to fill the vacancies. These two factors immensely increased the workload of full-time teachers. During a KBS News broadcast in March, Kim Hanna, head of the Busan Teachers’ Union, officially stated that first-grade homeroom teachers are especially affected by the absence of new staff, as they are left to handle the monitoring calls from the MOE and complaints from parents.

Potential Approaches for Improvement

-Establishing a Solid System

The top priority for improvement is securing enough room for Neulbom Schools. While the government has proposed to utilize places outside of school, it is crucial to provide space on school grounds, considering safety and accessibility in the long run. According to a report by the Seoul Office of Education, the number of unused classrooms in Seoul City has steadily increased from 2021 to 2023. Therefore, remodeling these into classrooms specialized only for the Neulbom program can be an effective solution. In addition, schools could cooperate with the government and specify the distribution of responsibility for safety. The government should establish a methodical connecting system between schools and the SSIA, and schools should designate a person responsible for contacting the SSIA. Moreover, Neulbom Schools could be operated much more systematically through cooperation with regional government offices since student participation rate, resources, and available staff vary nationwide. In France, where the afterschool care program is known for its high quality, only fundamental decisions, such as setting the budget, are made by the central government. The actual implementation is carried out by state authorities, allowing the service to meet the specific needs of the locals. A nationwide enactment of such methods would improve the current instability of the Neulbom School program. 

-Hope for the Teachers

Since securing enough staff for Neulbom Schools is urgent, connecting with existing childcare specialists would be a realistic plan. Currently, two organizations under the Ministry of Health and Welfare — the Local Children’s Center and the Care Together Center — share the goal of providing high-quality childcare in which social workers are mainly in charge of the work. If the social workers in these two organizations were to be integrated with Neulbom Schools, more efficient distribution of human resources could be achieved. Specifically, a 2019 study conducted by education researcher Park Hye-kyung claimed that it is necessary for the qualifications and wages of childcare specialists to be standardized for an environment where employees can flexibly choose their workspace. Secondly, the new tasks concerning Neulbom Schools should be handled by the Neulbom staff instead of the homeroom teachers. A practical system that legally limits the work of homeroom teachers is crucial, while responding to Neulbom-related calls should be the role of dedicated administrators. In an interview with SKT, Ro Jin-a, an associate professor in the Department of Education at Sungkyunkwan University, commented, “Elementary schools have always been short of administrative staff even before the Neulbom School program. This emphasizes the need to expand dedicated personnel.” The government must actively take measures to solve current problems with Neulbom School, especially since it sets high expectations for the program.

Like the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” raising children is not only the responsibility of parents but also the responsibility of the entire nation. For Neulbom School to fix the current gaps in childcare and support in the cognitive and emotional development of young children, the effort of both the government and citizens is important. Practical support must be provided to ease the burden on schools, before the full implementation planned for the second term this year.