Gyeongbuk Office of Education to Provide 100% Smart Device Support for Students Ahead of Online School Opening

Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of Gyeongbuk Education, and staff are inspecting learning smart devices to support frontline schools in the region ahead of the online school opening scheduled for the 9th.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Young-wook] The Gyeongbuk Provincial Office of Education announced on the 6th that starting from the 9th, it will support infrastructure for remote classes, including lending smart devices and installing internet, to all students in the province.

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education conducted a demand survey from the 18th of last month and initially provided 4,033 smart devices owned by schools at all levels.

Additionally, 2,707 devices supported by the Ministry of Education will be distributed to middle and high school students by the 7th, and to elementary school students by the 8th.

The Office of Education will prioritize providing these devices to students eligible for educational benefits, and schools will also support students who cannot participate in remote classes, such as those from multi-child families, based on their judgment.

For students, such as lower-grade elementary students, who are using smart devices for the first time, a dedicated smart device call center will be operated.

After remote classes end, all smart devices and short-term internet, including those managed by the call center, will be collected.

However, the "Low-income Student Informatization Support Project" aimed at bridging the digital divide will continue to be promoted to address learning gaps and urban-rural disparities.

Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of Gyeongbuk Education, said, "All students in the Gyeongbuk region will have at least one device among desktop PCs, laptops, smart pads, and smartphones that can be used for online learning," adding, "We will do our best to support infrastructure so that no student is unable to participate in online classes due to unfavorable home environments."