About 27-hundred elementary schools have applied for the government’s after-school programs for the spring semester.

According to the Education Ministry on Sunday, about 27-hundred, or 44 percent of elementary schools nationwide decided to introduce the after-school child care program, which provides various education and care programs.

As of Friday, the education offices of 15 cities and provinces unveiled schools participating in the program, with the offices of Gyeonggi and South Gyeongsang Province planning to announce on Monday.

All the elementary schools in Busan and South Jeolla Province will operate the after-school programs in the spring semester, with participation rates in ten cities and provinces, including Gyeonggi Province, Jeju Island and Sejong, surpassing 30 percent.

The ministry earlier announced that it plans to expand the program to about two-thousand elementary schools in the first half of this year and every elementary school in the nation by the second half, while expanding to all elementary students who wish to take part in the program by the year 2026.

Education Minister Lee Jo-ho said that the ministry, the education offices, local municipalities and colleges will join forces to provide necessary assistance to ensure the smooth operation of the programs.