Seoul's First Three-Term Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon Inaugurated: "Restoring Basic Academic Skills and the Academic Middle Layer"

Visit to Flood-Damaged School Site Followed by Inauguration Ceremony
Cho Hee-yeon: "Strengthening Basic Academic Skills Guarantee to Combat Educational Inequality"

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Jo Hee-yeon, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent who became the first to serve three terms in Seoul, was inaugurated on the 1st.

At the inauguration ceremony held with officials at the manager level and above in attendance, Superintendent Jo said, "We will overcome inequality and unfairness with the passion that overcame the COVID-19 crisis." He attended the ceremony after visiting a high school site where a sinkhole occurred on the school route.

Superintendent Jo stated, "The start of fighting educational inequality will begin with guaranteeing basic academic skills and restoring the middle tier of learners," adding, "We will realize 'higher quality classes,' 'higher quality care,' 'higher quality after-school programs,' and 'higher quality meals.'"

He emphasized, "When the economy worsens, polarization intensifies, and socioeconomic inequality often leads to educational gaps. On a tilted playing field, fair competition cannot take place, and the basic condition for realizing fair education is to resolve educational inequality."

Superintendent Jo said, "We will go beyond the outdated framework of the national standardized test and use artificial intelligence technology to supplement diagnostic systems to understand students' conditions and make efforts to respond." He added, "Existing various basic academic skill policies such as operating dedicated teams for dyslexia and borderline intelligence at cooperation instructors, Kidari teachers, and learning support centers will be further refined and systematized."

During his term, Superintendent Jo plans to promote measures such as 'language development diagnosis and early support for 3-year-old children' and introduce an 'intensive curriculum' to prevent losing the learning flow during school level transitions. He also plans to build an integrated education support system covering both inside and outside schools and to expand the 'High School Odyssey School,' which helps students actively find their life direction, into a 6-year middle and high school course, introducing a 'public alternative school.'

Regarding the innovative education promoted over the past eight years, he said, "I will listen to various voices and reorganize. I will reflect introspectively and check if there were any shortcomings." He added, "To dispel concerns about basic academic skills, we will prepare bold and fundamental measures, actively communicate with teacher organizations, listen to voices from the field, and establish policies." Additionally, he announced plans to build a customized learning support system using artificial intelligence (AI) and strengthen discussion education and ecological transition education.