[Seoul District News] Songpa-gu Secures 107 Million Won from Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Support Project... Park Seong-su, Mayor of Songpa-gu, States "Comprehensive Care Services to Ensure Safe and Healthy Growth"... Seongbuk-gu Opens National Public Dalbit Hana Daycare Center... Geumcheon-gu Signs 'Future Education Agreement' with Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to Realize Quality Public Education and Build a Happy Education City... Yeongdeungpo-gu Provides 20% Childcare Fee Support for Foreign Children Aged 0-5... Jungnang-gu Holds Art Contest Commemorating Disability Day
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) announced on the 4th that it is operating the after-school care program ‘On School’ to prevent care blind spots for lower-grade elementary school students.
Songpa-gu Mayor Park Seong-su stated, “As of last year, Songpa-gu has the largest number of students in Seoul with about 67,700 students,” adding, “Especially over the past two years, unprecedented online school openings and remote classes due to COVID-19 have caused various problems such as care gaps and basic academic decline among lower-grade elementary students,” explaining the background of the project.
‘On(on, 溫) School’ was selected for the ‘2022 National Policy All-day Care System Establishment (Activation of After-school Care Inside and Outside Schools) Support Project’ hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, securing a project budget of 107 million KRW to promote the program.
The district provides various learning services along with care for lower-grade elementary students until December this year. These include ▲basic learning support such as Korean and math ▲support for related experiential activities such as science, arts, and history ▲weekend experiential learning support ▲morning care during vacations. Operating hours are 1 PM to 5 PM on weekdays and 10 AM to 5 PM during vacations.
The project is hosted by Macheon Youth Center, which conducts various learning support and specialized education for children and youth.
Any student in grades 1 to 3 in elementary schools within Songpa-gu can apply. Recruitment has been ongoing within the capacity since March.
For more details, inquiries can be made to Macheon Youth Center.
Songpa-gu Mayor Park Seong-su said, “Through On School, we will provide comprehensive services from learning support to experiences for youth in need of care, supporting Songpa’s youth to be safely protected and grow healthily.”
Additionally, Mayor Park Seong-su operates a 24-hour child safety care service as a pledge project of the 7th local government term. In April 2019, Songpa-gu became the first autonomous district in Seoul to start a ‘night care service,’ striving to resolve care blind spots. Furthermore, the district has established its unique education support system called ‘Songpa Saem’ to provide holistic educational services to youth.
Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) opened Dalbit Hana Daycare Center located in Wolgok 2-dong and held an event to tour the facility with the daycare operation committee.
The public Dalbit Hana Daycare Center was built in 1983, and its aging facilities and frequent repairs had caused many disruptions to childcare activities. To resolve this issue, Seongbuk-gu linked with the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s public daycare expansion project, investing a total of 1.9 billion KRW in an extension and reconstruction project. Of the project cost, 690 million KRW was supported by Hana Financial Group.
Through this project, Dalbit Hana Daycare Center transformed into a hub-type daycare center providing integrated care for children with disabilities. It is a two-story building with a total floor area of 490.11㎡, capable of caring for 71 children. During construction, much attention was paid to child safety by using eco-friendly materials, rounding corners, and installing pinch prevention facilities.
Another feature is the nature-friendly design utilizing Odong Neighborhood Park surrounding the daycare center. Wide windows allow children to naturally feel seasonal changes, providing emotional stability and aiding creativity development.
Seongbuk-gu Mayor Lee Seung-ro said, “Through continuous improvement of public daycare childcare environments, we will make Seongbuk a safe and child-friendly place where parents can entrust their children with peace of mind.”
Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Seong-hoon) and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education pledged to promote future education agendas to create a ‘happy education city where no child is left behind and everyone is happy.’
Geumcheon-gu and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education signed a ‘Future Education Agreement’ in January. On March 31, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education notified Geumcheon-gu of the agreement signing, and the two institutions will cooperate to promote the proposed agendas to support the happy growth of children and youth.
This agreement was made to present and implement education policies for future education to residents.
Geumcheon-gu proposed agendas including ▲support for operating the youth cultural and artistic activity program tentatively named ‘Geumnarae Art School’ ▲improving conditions for student placement in nearby areas during the relocation and development of the Geumcheon Air Force base. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education proposed agendas including ▲support for Seoul-type Innovative Education District 2.0 leap ▲support for digital creative environments and spread of voluntary creative culture ▲activation of ecological transition education in schools and communities ▲expansion of international joint classes ▲expansion of after-school youth-only spaces.
Geumcheon-gu plans to establish a cooperative system among related departments centered on the selected agendas and continuously promote education projects.
Geumcheon-gu Mayor Yoo Seong-hoon said, “I hope this agreement will help improve the educational environment and conditions in Geumcheon-gu,” adding, “We will continue to strengthen cooperation with the education office and do our best so that ‘no child is left behind and all can grow happily.’”
Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Chae Hyun-il) will support part of the childcare fees for foreign children aged 0 to 5 enrolled in local daycare centers to guarantee equal educational opportunities and eliminate childcare welfare blind spots.
Although childcare fee support is universal welfare that should be guaranteed to all children, foreign children have been excluded from the target because they do not have Korean nationality.
Accordingly, the district decided to support childcare fees for foreign children to eliminate discrimination raised in childcare settings and reduce the childcare burden on foreign families. This childcare fee support is fully funded by the district according to the Yeongdeungpo-gu Foreign Residents and Multicultural Families Support Ordinance and Childcare Ordinance.
The support target is foreign children aged 0 to 5 residing in Yeongdeungpo-gu for more than 90 days and enrolled in daycare centers within Yeongdeungpo-gu.
It supports 20% of the parental childcare fee, with monthly payments ranging from 56,000 KRW to 99,800 KRW depending on age. Until April, the district office will support childcare fees directly to daycare centers, and from May, support will be provided via the National Happiness Card voucher.
Applications for support can be made by the person who actually cares for the child by visiting the daycare center and submitting the application form, foreign registration card, foreign registration certificate, and other supporting documents.
Through this support project, about 480 foreign infants and toddlers in Yeongdeungpo-gu who have not been able to receive childcare fee support are expected to benefit.
Yeongdeungpo-gu Mayor Chae Hyun-il said, “This project will reduce the burden of daycare use for foreign children and establish a childcare foundation without discrimination between domestic and foreign children,” adding, “We will continue to do our best to create a childcare environment worthy of a ‘UNICEF Child-Friendly City’ where all children are equally protected and enjoy a happy life.”
Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi) is holding an art contest to improve awareness of disabilities in commemoration of Disability Day until the 15th.
Disability Day is a legal commemorative day established in 1981 on April 20 to deepen public understanding of people with disabilities and enhance their rehabilitation motivation.
The contest theme can be related to experiences with people with disabilities, personal disability stories, or any content related to disabilities. The submission period is until the 15th, and any Jungnang-gu resident can participate with one work per person.
The contest categories include drawings such as posters, webtoons, and illustrations, and writings such as essays, texts, and poems, as well as calligraphy and pop art. Essays must be within 800 characters, texts within 30 characters, hand-drawn works on 8-cut drawing paper, and image files must comply with A4 size standards.
Residents wishing to participate can submit their works by visiting the Jungnang Disabled Family Support Center or sending them by registered mail. Online submissions via email are also accepted. Only one work per person can be submitted, and it must be an original unpublished work.
Submitted works will be judged based on empathy, originality, symbolism, and suitability, and results will be announced on Disability Day. One winner per category and eight runners-up in the integrated section will be selected and awarded gift certificates.
For more details about the Disability Day commemorative art contest, please refer to the Jungnang-gu website’s district news bulletin board or contact the Jungnang Disabled Family Support Center.
Jungnang-gu Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi said, “I hope everyone, regardless of disability, will enjoy participating in the Disability Day art contest,” adding, “We will continue to improve inconveniences to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities.”
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