SEOUL, President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday called for thoroughly implementing after-school care services at elementary schools and a new policy on early childhood education and care in a bid to cope with low childbirths. Yoon made the remark during the education ministry's briefing on its 2024 policy goals, as the ministry is pushing to carry out education reforms in order to resolve "social challenges," such as the country's low birthrate. "We must make these two policies a success in our bid to reduce private education expenditure and cope with low childbirths," Yoon said. One of the two main policies is to expand an after-school care service for first graders at elementary schools. The government plans to expand the program to all elementary schools across the nation starting in the second semester. Last year, such a program was test-operated at 459 schools. Under the program, first graders can receive care services and use after-school education programs from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., if they want. In the second semester, more than 270,000 students are expected to apply for the after-school care services, the education ministry said. Another policy goal is to transfer the health ministry's responsibilities for early childhood care policy to the education ministry to provide an integrated service for early childhood education and care. To unify the responsibilities for care and education services for children under age 5 that are divided among government ministries, the government plans to complete the process of making the education ministry the control tower of early childhood education and care by June. South Korea has been suffering from chronically low births, as more young people avoid having children amid economic uncertainties and soaring property costs. Source: Yonhap News Agency