South Korean educators protest local education grant reform

Educational stakeholders and civic groups in South Korea are protesting a government proposal to reform the local education fiscal grant system. The reform aims to abolish the current system that links the grant to 20.79% of domestic tax revenue, instead proposing a model based on average economic growth rates and changes in the school-age population.

Jeong Geun-sik, the Seoul Superintendent of Education, expressed strong opposition, stating that the decision to change a 50-year-old framework was made without consulting educational authorities or stakeholders. He criticized the logic of diverting funds to separate accounts for early childhood and higher education while reducing the primary grants managed by local offices of education.

A coalition of 353 organizations, known as the ‘Emergency Action for 2026 Local Education Fiscal Grant Reform,’ held a press conference to demand an immediate halt to the reform process. The group argued that the move threatens the rights of students and teachers and undermines the minimum safety net for public education. They are calling for a transparent public discussion process rather than a unilateral decision by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Education.