Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, Selected as the Region's First 'Future Education District'

Establishing Public-Private-Academic Cooperation System... Promoting Various Educational Projects

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Byung-gyu) announced on the 9th that it has been selected as the Ministry of Education’s first-ever ‘Future Education District’ in the region.

Accordingly, together with the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education and the Gwangju Western Education Support Office, they will establish a public-private-academic cooperation system and launch various educational projects to realize ‘Education for All, Learning Spaces Everywhere.’

Started with 11 districts in 2020, the Future Education District project is a program where education (support) offices and local governments build a sustainable regional education cooperation system to create an educational ecosystem tailored to local characteristics.

In 2023, a total of 33 districts, including Gwangsan-gu, were selected. Each selected local government receives 100 million KRW in project funding.

After completing necessary preparations such as signing a business agreement for future education innovation with the Gwangju Western Education Support Office in May, forming the Gwangsan-gu Regional Education Council with the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education, and operating a TF team to prepare for the Future Education District project, Gwangsan-gu plans to fully implement the projects conceived following this selection.

The goal is to create a sustainable regional education ecosystem through coexistence-based education realization, including general autonomy and educational autonomy, cooperation between schools and communities, and interdepartmental collaboration without barriers.

Gwangsan-gu has set the vision of ‘Education for All, Gwangsan is Learning Spaces Everywhere’ and selected key tasks such as establishing an education cooperation foundation, autonomous and responsible school management, and expanding educational autonomy.

In particular, they plan to regularize the ‘Gwangsan-gu Regional Education Council,’ which maintains constant communication with the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education and the Gwangju Western Education Support Office, and establish an ‘education governance’ system encompassing public, private, and academic sectors by operating community-based educational autonomy meetings and the Gwangsan Education Forum.

Based on this, various projects will be promoted, including activating coexistence-type education connecting schools and communities, strengthening schools’ capacity to prepare for the future, and enhancing youth self-directedness.

Park Byung-gyu, Mayor of Gwangsan-gu, said, “The Future Education District project will be a starting point to break down the boundaries of education and connect communities, schools, and regions to realize a true educational community. We will do our best to implement an educational ecosystem of coexistence and innovation where youth and residents can learn and study, enjoy a better life, and open a new future together.”