Gangjin-gun Omnatgol Mountain Village Study Center Selected for National Government Funded Project

Selected for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Sponsored Contest Project, Securing 54 Million KRW

Students are participating in activities at Omnaetgol Study Abroad Center. Photo by Asia Economy

[Gangjin＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-su] The Omnaetgol Rural Study Center in Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do, has been selected as a recipient of the '2022 Rural Study Support' program organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and will receive 54 million KRW in project funding.

According to Gangjin-gun on the 11th, the Rural Study Center is gaining popularity as a good educational alternative to save rural schools facing closure and to overcome the limitations of urban schools caught in entrance exam competition, as well as to promote exchanges between urban and rural areas.

Omcheon-myeon is recognized for successfully revitalizing local rural schools as the nation's first rural study model. Teachers and village residents actively worked to promote the rural study project at Omcheon Elementary School, which was facing closure due to no new students enrolling.

Additionally, in 2016, Gangjin-gun led the construction of the Rural Study Center through organic cooperation and budget support from various institutions including Omcheon Elementary School, the Provincial Office of Education, and the Water Resources Corporation. The center, the first of its kind led by a county nationwide, was completed and monthly living expenses for rural students are also supported.

Song Seung-eon, head of the Eco-friendly Agriculture Division, said, "We actively proposed funding support to revitalize rural study and secured national funds. We will create programs unique to Omnaetgol to attract urban students and strive to have more students live at the study center this year. We ask residents and alumni to take great interest in Omnaetgol mountain village study."

Meanwhile, the Omnaetgol Mountain Village Study Center plans to use the 2022 national funds for rural study projects to develop programs, consulting, promotion, purchase equipment, insurance enrollment, and support teacher salaries (guidance and life teachers) to encourage stable settlement of rural students and promote revitalization of mountain village schools.

Gangjin=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-su kys86120@asiae.co.kr