Policy Change in ‘Local Lifelong Education Promotion Project’ from the Perspective of the Multiple Streams Framework

Abstract

As of 2021, 180 metropolitan and basic local governments have been designated as lifelong learning cities through the ‘Local Lifelong Education Promotion Project’, which the Ministry of Education has been promoting for over 20 years, starting with the designation of lifelong learning cities in 2001. In the context of inauguration of government and change of administration and the requirements of international organizations, the need for policy revision and improvement through analysis of the policy change process of the ‘Local Lifelong Education Promotion Project’, which has established lifelong learning cities, is emerging. This study applied Kingdon's(1984) Multiple Streams Framework, which is useful to analyze the policy decision process in an uncertain situation, to analyze the policy change process of the‘Local Lifelong Education Promotion Project', the problem stream, the policy stream, politics stream, policy window, and policy entrepreneurs. As a result of the study, it was found that the upgrading of the lifelong education bureau within the Ministry of Education and the establishment of the 4th lifelong education promotion basic plan policy in conjunction with the government change influenced the agenda decision through the flow of politics. The window of policy was confirmed three times: the UNESCO Lifelong Learning City Policy in the 1970s, the revision of the Lifelong Education Act in 2000, and the entire revision of the Lifelong Education Act in 2007. This study examined the key policies that contribute to the promotion of lifelong education in Korea, and based on the understanding of the policy change and formation process of the project, implications for the sustainable development of lifelong learning cities were suggested.