Sejong, March 2 - With the aim of training instructors who will lead the road to carbon neutrality, the Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Wha-jin) and the National Environmental Education Center (Head Kim In-ho) began recruiting participants for training courses and internship programs for environmental education, which will be provided at 11 training institutions designated by the Ministry of Environment. Application for the program will be accepted through the National Environmental Education Center website (www.keep.go.kr) from February 27.

[Training Program for Environmental Educators] The training program is for those who wish to obtain a certificate of qualification for environmental educators, which has been recognized as a national license since 2015. Environmental educators are classified into Grades II and III, and anyone who wants to obtain a certificate of qualification can apply for the courses. The training courses are operated separately for the Grades  II and III certificates. Following the test schedule, which is administered twice a year, the program is offered once in the first half and once in the second half of the year. For 2023, the program will start at the end of March for the one held in the first half, and those for the second half will open in August. The total number of participants will be 500. The Ministry will financially support KRW 1 million per person for 200 people from low-income groups, young unemployed, or working in institutions designated as social and environmental educational institutions to support hard-to-employ populations and boost environmental education.

[Internship Program] The Ministry of Environment will offer 110 people an internship program for environmental educators, providing opportunities for instructors to enhance their teaching capabilities by working in environmental education institutions and assisting in getting a job. In March, the Ministry will recruit only those who have already acquired the certificate of qualification to participate in the internship program. Those who newly receive the certificate of qualification will be able to apply for the internship program in July. Again, the Ministry will select hard-to-employ populations first and pay monthly salaries for interns of approximately KRW 2.3 million.  

The Ministry will also provide a mandatory retraining program for environmental educators. Employees of social and environmental education institutions, environmental educator training institutions, and national and regional environmental education centers must complete seven hours of training every three years. The retraining program will accept students from March. Those who sign up for the program can take courses at environmental educator training institutions. From 2025, a penalty will be imposed for those who still need to complete the retraining courses (a maximum of KRW 1 million). Those with the certificate of qualification of environmental educators must check if they are subject to the retraining program.

Chang Ki-Bok, Director-General of the Green Transition Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Environment, stated, “Due to climate change, more people have started to recognize the need for environmental education. In particular, as environmental education will be made mandatory in elementary and middle schools from 2023, there will be more demand for environmental education.” He added, “To provide a varied and high-quality curriculum, the Ministry of Environment will do its utmost to train talented individuals who can lead environmental education.”

Contact: Byun Moon-Kyung, Deputy Director

Environmental Education Team / +82-(0)44-201-6536

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

+82-(0)44-201-6055 / rachelmchun@korea.kr