[Edaily Reporter KIM EUNG-YEOL ] Elementary school principals nationwide have spoken out against the “3:00 p.m. dismissal system” for lower-grade elementary students, which is currently under review by the National Education Commission.

The Korea Elementary School Principals’ Association, composed of principals from approximately 6,100 public and private elementary schools nationwide, issued a statement on the 2nd, stating, “The proposal to uniformly set the dismissal time for lower-grade elementary students at 3:00 p.m. without sufficient consideration of their growth and developmental characteristics and educational needs should be reconsidered.”

The National Education Committee will host a “Policy Forum on Extending School Hours and Enhancing the Quality of Education for Lower Elementary Grades” at 10 a.m. on the 3rd in the Small Auditorium of the National Assembly Library, in collaboration with the National Assembly Research Institute for the Future and the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation. The forum is expected to focus primarily on a proposal to extend the dismissal time for first and second graders—currently around 1:00 p.m.—to 3:00 p.m.

The Council argued that this 3:00 p.m. dismissal proposal fails to take into account the developmental characteristics of first- and second-grade students. The Council emphasized, “First- and second-grade students are in a critical transitional period from early childhood education to elementary education,” adding, “This is a time when they must grow in a balanced manner not only through learning but also through play, rest, physical activity, peer relationships, and family life.”

They continued, “Staying at school longer does not necessarily mean a better education,” adding, “What lower-grade students need is not simply an extension of time, but a balance between the quality of education and daily life that is appropriate for their age and developmental level.”

The council also argued, “Currently, elementary schools nationwide already operate programs such as childcare and after-school programs,” adding, “If dismissal times for lower-grade students are uniformly extended to 3:00 p.m., there is a risk of overlap with existing programs in terms of time, space, personnel, and functions.”

The Council also pointed out that it is not advisable to adjust dismissal times uniformly when educational conditions vary from school to school. The Council expressed concern, stating, “The number of students and classes, as well as facilities such as classrooms and specialized rooms, and the composition of the teaching staff vary across elementary schools nationwide,” and added, “If a 3:00 p.m. dismissal time is introduced, it could affect all aspects of school operations, including the curriculum, teacher supply, classroom usage, childcare and after-school programs, school meals, student safety, and supervision during dismissal.”

The council emphasized, “The fundamental role of a school is education,” adding, “Simply increasing the amount of time spent at school should not be the goal of the policy itself.” It continued, “The question should not be ‘How late should students stay at school?’ but rather ‘What kind of education will the school provide to children?’” and stated, “We must establish elementary education policies that allow schools to focus on education and enable students to grow up happily.”