[Interview] Yuseonghun, Geumcheon District Mayor, "Fostering Future-Oriented Convergence Talents through 4 Major Experience Schools"

Strengthening the Foundation for Future-Oriented Convergent Talent Development... Operation of Four Experiential Schools for Cultivating Creative Learning Abilities: 'Science School', 'Environment School', 'Health Promotion School', and 'Musical School'

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] “We must drastically improve the educational environment and support levels by strengthening the foundation for nurturing future-oriented convergence talents, including the four major experiential schools, establishing a career and college admission support center, and activating customized college admission support programs.”

Yoo Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, emphasized the necessity of future education for youth by presenting “a city of education where people want to live” at the 2020 New Year’s meeting during an interview with Asia Economy.

In the 7th term of the elected administration, Geumcheon-gu is going beyond being an “innovative education district” to create the “Geumcheon-style future education path” that fosters creative learning abilities beyond simple learning and realizes education where learning and life coincide.

The district operates the “Dream Tree Science Classroom,” which connects companies located in G-Valley, a national industrial complex with about 8,000 manufacturing, IT, and knowledge-based industry companies, with schools to nurture creative convergence talents. It also continuously operates the “Village Life Science Classroom” in cooperation with the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity and Ewha Womans University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation’s Ewha Creative Education Center.

Last October, the district held the “1st Geumcheon Youth Science Festival” at the district office plaza and Geumnarae Park area, and plans to establish the “Geumcheon-style Science Museum” at the Siheung 2-dong Infinite Imagination Space as a hub for nurturing scientific creative talents.

Additionally, through the annual youth musical “Les Mis?rables” and youth cultural arts education projects, the need for a systematic and continuous musical education curriculum was confirmed. Based on accumulated know-how, the district is promoting the construction of the “Geumcheon Musical School” (tentative name), aiming to open in February 2021.

The facility will be a four-story building with a total floor area of 1,680㎡, equipped with rehearsal rooms, classrooms, a performance hall, and equipment rooms.

It is significant as the nation’s first public musical education institution and a cultural arts education hub facility in the relatively underserved southwestern Seoul and Gyeonggi areas.

Here, a youth musical troupe that produces and performs musicals will be operated, and lectures and experiential programs open to anyone will be offered.

Educational projects to raise youth awareness of environmental issues are also actively underway.

A representative example is the “Youth International Volunteer Activities to Prevent Desertification in Mongolia” by the ESD Geumcheon Creative Talent School.

The ESD Geumcheon Creative Talent School is a youth program that discusses and experiences environmental and social topics such as fair trade, climate change, and cultural diversity.

It has been operated as an official ESD pro-project of the UNESCO Korean Commission since 2012.

In addition, last year Geumcheon-gu piloted the Seoul-type Health Promotion School, the first of its kind nationwide, to help youth form proper health habits.

Jeongsim and Gasan Elementary Schools were selected as pilot schools, providing all students with a simple breakfast and exercise, securing dedicated personnel for individual health measurement and counseling, evaluating students’ obesity and physical fitness, and offering customized health management programs based on these assessments.

Operating the Health Promotion School resulted in a small but valuable experience where children became interested in the calories and ingredients of the food they eat.

Going forward, the district plans to expand systematic health management for local youth by creating a standardized model, including building a health database based on health-related indicators such as obesity, physical fitness, nutrition, and survey results.

Mayor Yoo Seong-hoon stated, “The ‘four major experiential schools’ promoted by the 7th term Geumcheon-gu administration are a stepping stone for children’s academic and career paths, the first step toward a better society, and will be the fertile foundation for Geumcheon-gu’s future education.”