The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has announced its strategic policy agenda for the 2026 academic year. Superintendent Jung Geun-sik detailed the multi-faceted education plan during a Wednesday press conference. This initiative specifically aims to integrate artificial intelligence into classrooms. It also expands financial support for early childhood learning across the city.
Officials developed this blueprint to build upon previous student wellness reforms. The announcement advances a stated long-term vision for the school system. Consequently, the education plan seeks to develop a more adaptable future workforce. The office will refine existing policies rather than introduce entirely new ones each year.
A core component involves strengthening frameworks for accountability-based learning. Therefore, the city will fund additional centers to identify student learning gaps early. It will also enhance operations for a dedicated academic support hotline. Furthermore, the policy mandates establishing five new schools for special needs students.
Support for students from multicultural backgrounds will grow significantly. The office will introduce AI-based real-time interpretation tools in 2026. Simultaneously, it plans to launch a second Multicultural Education Support Center. These actions form a crucial part of the broader inclusive education plan.
The strategy aggressively embeds artificial intelligence and digital fundamentals. It expands AI aptitude testing for students throughout the district. Accordingly, specialized seminars will train 1,300 teachers in AI literacy. Essentially, every school will then have at least one instructor proficient in this technology.
Superintendent Jung also pledged to expand childcare subsidies for three-year-olds. This measure lays groundwork for future free kindergarten education. Additionally, the city will operate programs bridging kindergarten and elementary school. The office will also widen humanities curricula and structured debate programs.
Student mental health receives substantial new resources under the policy. The city will hire fifty additional school counselors each year starting in 2026. It will also expand regional mental health support centers from seven to eleven. Counseling subsidies for high-risk students will increase by two hundred percent.
The office will extend a behavioral reflection program to elementary schools. Superintendent Jung emphasized moving beyond a knowledge-centric education model. He stated all operations must prioritize feedback from teachers and schools. The ultimate goal remains fostering student core competencies and wellbeing.
This comprehensive education plan carries significant economic implications. Seoul is directly investing in skills vital for national technological competitiveness. The focus on AI and student support addresses two urgent societal challenges. Other regional offices may later consider similar policy frameworks and reforms.
Successful implementation now depends on consistent administrative execution. Observers will monitor the deployment of AI tools and teacher training closely. Student mental health metrics will provide another key performance indicator. The entire education plan represents a major investment in Seoul’s future human capital.
