Gwanak-gu Supports Contactless Reading Education in the Post-Corona Era

Development of Various Programs to Promote Reading Culture in Schools and Communities for Youth, Teachers, and Parents

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) is actively planning various reading education programs within schools and communities to help adapt to the post-COVID-19 online education environment and to cultivate humanistic sensibilities, aiming to revitalize the reading culture.

Due to prolonged social distancing caused by COVID-19, many adolescents spend most of their leisure time watching YouTube or playing computer and smartphone games.

This has led to psychological and emotional difficulties, such as a lack of communication among peers.

In response, last year the district provided various programs such as support for youth and parent reading clubs in the area and an online reading debate school for elementary students, offering opportunities for peer discussion and communication, which received great interest and positive responses from youth and parents.

This year, the district plans to expand support for 'Youth Reading Clubs' within schools, operate an 'Online Reading Debate School' for not only elementary but also middle school students, and support the 'High School Hub Reading Club Federation,' hosted and participated in by local high school reading clubs.

Additionally, to spread the reading culture within schools and communities through support for not only youth but also teachers and parents, the district plans to develop and support various customized reading programs suited to the online education environment and local characteristics, including ▲parent reading club support ▲reading club network podcast broadcasts ▲youth reading Golden Bell competitions ▲audiobook production and reading sessions.

In particular, it is especially meaningful that teachers and parents from the Gwanak Innovation Education District are taking the lead in developing various participatory reading learning contents.

Meanwhile, from the 15th to the 24th of this month, the district will publicly recruit parent reading clubs active in schools within the area to participate in the activity expense support project.

Eligible applicants are parent reading clubs with five or more members who have children enrolled in local schools, with up to 500,000 KRW support per club.

To apply, check the announcement on the Gwanak-gu Office website (News & Notices → Gwanak News), then submit the application form in person, by mail, or by email (leeyi07@ga.go.kr) to the Education Support Division Innovation Education Team.

Mayor Park Jun-hee said, “I hope that the youth, who are the future of Gwanak, will cultivate infinite imagination and creativity through various reading activities,” and added, “We will continue to strengthen support for various non-face-to-face reading learning content development and reading activities through public-private-academic cooperation in line with the post-COVID-19 era.”