[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] Naju City, Jeollanam-do, is set to actively promote new educational pledge projects in the 8th local government administration, aiming to create a ‘prestigious education city’ where students and parents are happy and citizens from all walks of life are guaranteed the right to learn.
The city announced on the 3rd that as a new pledge project in the 8th local government administration, it will provide an enrollment support fund of 100,000 KRW (Naju Love Gift Certificates) to the families of all first-grade students entering elementary school this year.
The enrollment support fund is an educational welfare policy linked to the expansion of pregnancy and childbirth support projects in the 8th local government administration. It was prepared to congratulate children taking their first steps in school life and to help cover educational expenses incurred during the early stages of enrollment.
The support targets all families registered as residents in Naju City with children about to enter elementary school. A total of 1,066 eight-year-old children are expected to enter elementary school this year.
To provide the support fund, the city previously enacted the ‘Naju City Elementary School Enrollment Support Fund Ordinance’ last year, allocated 110 million KRW in this year’s main budget, and is currently negotiating with the Ministry of Health and Welfare to establish a new social security system.
The support fund will be paid after the application for the fund is submitted following elementary school enrollment this year.
For first-year students who have just entered middle school and out-of-school youth aged 13, a ‘Dream Achievement Learning Card’ will be issued, allowing them to participate in various experiential activities in career, culture, and arts fields.
The city will provide a point card worth 100,000 KRW annually, supporting youth to freely choose specialized career and experiential programs according to their needs, preferences, and aptitudes in line with the implementation of the free semester system.
In particular, this is expected to overcome the limitations of the existing national education voucher program, which was only supported for households receiving basic living subsidies, single-parent families, low-income families, and those below 70% of median income, enabling all youth to enjoy universal educational welfare benefits regardless of income.
Additionally, the city plans to discover Naju-specific specialized experience venues linked to local resources such as museums and exhibition halls, fostering students’ hometown pride while also significantly contributing to the revitalization of the local economy.
The city has newly allocated 100 million KRW in this year’s main budget for the project and will issue learning cards to help the dreams of 1,018 students who entered middle school this year come true.
Along with elementary and middle school students, the ‘Naju愛 Learning Voucher,’ a new project in the 8th local government administration that provides lifelong learning opportunities to citizens in the era of 100-year lifespans, is also drawing attention.
This project supports an annual tuition fee of approximately 150,000 KRW per person for 2,500 citizens aged 19 and over, excluding those who have benefited from similar voucher programs.
The city has expanded the existing National Lifelong Learning Voucher system, which registered nine institutions and about 60 courses, to about 200 courses after the launch of the 8th local government administration to enable citizens to enjoy more diverse and extensive learning rights, and supported system registration.
Furthermore, following the allocation of 375 million KRW in the main budget for lifelong learning vouchers, the city passed revisions to local ordinances and negotiations with the Ministry of Health and Welfare to establish a new social security system.
The city is preparing to build the Naju愛 Learning Voucher system, hold explanatory meetings, and sign business agreements with financial institutions to link prepaid cards and mobile local currency, with plans to fully launch the project in the second half of this year.
Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, “Following the expansion of pregnancy and childbirth support policies in the 8th local government administration to overcome low birth rates, we will implement tangible educational welfare policies such as enrollment support funds and middle school learning cards to celebrate children’s first school life and provide practical help for their education.”
He added, “Naju will play a leading role in establishing a universal educational welfare system that guarantees diverse learning opportunities to all students and citizens regardless of income criteria.”
Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong baekok@asiae.co.kr
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