Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education's 'Rural and Fishing Village Study Abroad Program' Receives Great Response

The Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education is jointly promoting the Jeonnam Rural Agricultural and Fishing Village Study Abroad Program with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. Photo by Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] The Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education's Jeonnam Rural Agricultural and Fishing Village Study Abroad Program, jointly promoted with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, is receiving great responses from Seoul students and parents.

According to the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education on the 20th, the two offices signed a business agreement last year to jointly promote a study abroad program allowing Seoul students to transfer to rural agricultural and fishing village schools in Jeonnam, where the risk of infection was lower during the COVID-19 crisis, to receive eco-friendly education.

As a result of accepting applications from parents in the Seoul area wishing to send their children to study abroad starting December 24 last year, a total of 77 students applied, including 63 elementary and 14 middle school students.

Applicants by operation type were 52 for family stay type, 23 for homestay (farmhouse) type, and 2 for center type. The Office of Education placed them in a total of 22 schools, including 15 elementary schools and 7 middle schools in the province.

Following the first recruitment, a second recruitment will be held until the 21st, with briefing sessions conducted for the relevant schools, city and county local governments, and education support offices. The briefing sessions were held on the 18th at Hwasun Education Support Office for 7 central region areas, on the 20th at Yeongam Education Support Office for 8 western region areas, and in the afternoon at Suncheon Education Support Office for 7 eastern region areas.

The study abroad candidates will visit the desired schools and farmhouses for pre-interviews from the 23rd of this month to the 7th of next month, and the final decision will be made on the 18th of next month reflecting the final opinions of Seoul parents.

Beom Mi-kyung, Director of Innovative Education, said, “The rural agricultural and fishing village study abroad program jointly promoted by the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will not only help save small schools in Jeonnam but also serve as a cornerstone for regional revitalization through population inflow,” adding, “We will do our best to ensure the safety of students for the successful promotion of the rural agricultural and fishing village study abroad program.”