A Special School to Open in Jungnang-gu... Local Community Center to Also Operate

[Asia Economy Reporter Onyu Lim] A special school will be established in Sinnae-dong, Jungnang-gu, Seoul, which is expected to alleviate commuting inconveniences for students.

According to Seoul City on the 16th, the Urban Planning Committee held the previous day approved a revised plan to build a special school in the area of 700-11, Sinnae-dong, Jungnang-gu. The Eastern Education Support Office, which includes Jungnang-gu, is the only one among the 11 education support offices in Seoul without a special school. As a result, special education students in the eastern region have been experiencing inconvenience due to long-distance commuting, with round-trip school bus rides to special schools in other districts taking up to 3 hours and 30 minutes.

The newly established Dongjin School (tentative name) will be a special school for students with intellectual disabilities, accommodating 18 classes and 111 students. A school complex facility will also be created within the school for use by special school students and local residents, including facilities for recreational sports.

The school building will have one basement floor and four above-ground floors, operating kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school classes, as well as a vocational department offering courses such as barista training and baking aimed at employment after graduation. The complex facility building will have one basement floor and three above-ground floors, with designated time slots for residents and students to use separately. The facility will include a gymnasium, swimming pool, community center, and a lifelong education center where Dongjin School vocational students can practice in connection with their vocational classes.

A Seoul City official stated, "The round-trip commuting time for special education students residing in Jungnang-gu will be reduced from 3 hours and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, improving the conditions for special education by alleviating long-distance commuting inconveniences. Additionally, by creating a school complex facility accessible to local residents, it is expected to contribute to enhancing the quality of life for residents."

The Dongjin School construction project is planned to proceed with a building design competition by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in 2023, with construction starting in the first half of 2024 and the school aiming to open in the second half of 2025.