From March, Gangbit Elementary and Middle Schools, Shingil Middle School Established... 19 Kindergartens Opened

19 New Elementary Grade 1, Middle School Grade 1, and Kindergarten Schools Established in Seoul

Aerial view of Gangbit Elementary and Middle School (Photo provided by Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education)

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Starting in March, one elementary school, two middle schools, and nineteen kindergartens will be newly established in Seoul.

On the 25th, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced that Gangbit Elementary School and Gangbit Middle School in Godeok Gangil District, Gangdong-gu, and Singil Middle School in Singil-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu will open on March 1.

The number of classes is 32 at Gangbit Elementary, 19 at Gangbit Middle, with one special class each. Singil Middle has 19 classes and one special class.

Gangbit Elementary and Middle Schools will operate as an integrated elementary and middle school called Eum School. Eum School is the official name for Seoul-type integrated schools, which combine human and material resources of two or more adjacent schools of different levels.

By completing a continuous curriculum under one roof, it contributes to the stable growth of students and offers the advantage of easier adaptation when advancing to higher schools through indirect experience. The attached kindergarten of Gangbit Elementary School will also open together.

To prepare for the opening, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education appointed essential personnel such as principals, vice principals, and administrative directors early in November last year. Each district education support office formed an opening support team to assist with preparations.

Nineteen kindergartens will also open from the new semester. These include one purchased-type kindergarten transitioning from private to public, one standalone kindergarten, one branch kindergarten, and sixteen attached kindergartens.

Solbangul Kindergarten in Songpa-gu is a purchased-type kindergarten that recruited children through a public contest and selection in 2019 and will convert to public status starting in March. This brings the total number of purchased-type kindergartens to fifteen.

Joheun Sori Kindergarten Branch is the first private-public cooperative kindergarten established by receiving land and buildings worth approximately 3.6 billion KRW as a donation from a redevelopment association. It is the second branch established since Solgaram Kindergarten Branch in March last year. Branch kindergartens are Seoul-type small to medium standalone kindergarten models that can be operated efficiently even in small facilities.

A new standalone kindergarten, Uui Kindergarten, will be established on the surplus land of Uui Elementary School, and sixteen attached kindergartens will be newly established within elementary schools, including Bonghwa Elementary School.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education stated, "We will continue to expand public kindergartens, which are insufficient compared to enrollment demand, and persistently promote balanced placement of elementary and secondary schools to respond to urban development and population movement."