The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will begin providing free education to high school freshmen from the second semester of this school year--a semester earlier than initially planned. 

To that end, the education office announced on Tuesday that it submitted a supplementary budget plan to the Seoul Metropolitan Council the previous day that is some 661 billion won more than the initial budget.  

If the plan is approved, the Seoul education office’s total budget would increase to nearly ten-point-eight trillion won.  

With the latest move, all students at all high schools in capital city will enjoy the benefit of a free education as seniors received it from last year and juniors from this year. 

The education office said it decided to move up the provision of free education in a bid to lessen parents’ financial burden and strengthen the public nature of education. In addition, the office is seeking to boost support for distance learning and quarantine systems.