Core Educational Strategic Asset Unshaken Even During the Pandemic
The opening ceremony of the Gyeongnam Office of Education Future Education Center was held on the 15th at the Uiryeong-gun Future Education Center Mirae Gonggamho under the theme "My Imagination, Our Future!"
About 500 people attended the event, including Superintendent Park Jong-hoon, Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Council Chairman Kim Jin-bu, Education Committee Chairman Park Byung-young, Uiryeong County Governor Oh Tae-wan, Uiryeong County Council Chairman Kim Kyu-chan, officials from the Gyeongnam Office of Education and Uiryeong County, heads of institutions from other city and provincial education offices, and current and former educators.
Participants are taking a commemorative photo in front of the memorial tree for the opening of the Gyeongnam Office of Education Future Education Center. [Photo by Lee Seryeong]
At the opening ceremony, Superintendent Park introduced the reasons for establishing the Future Education Center and its operational direction through a theatrical performance prepared with children.
He said, "At the Future Education Center, our students will develop the power of independence to live on their own in any situation and the power of coexistence to cooperate with others to build a better community," adding, "You will see firsthand how fun and enjoyable it is for children to nurture their dreams here."
He stated, "We will achieve an educational paradigm shift using big data and artificial intelligence (AI) platforms like iTalkTalk and student smart devices like iBook," and added, "We will open a new era of Gyeongnam education that forms and leads diverse educational discourses."
He continued, "The Future Education Center will establish itself as a core strategic asset of Gyeongnam education that ensures stable educational activities under any circumstances, including pandemics," and said, "I sincerely welcome everyone who has waited five years to attend this opening ceremony."
Park Jong-hoon, Superintendent of Gyeongnam Office of Education, is speaking at the Future Education Center commemorative ceremony. [Photo by Lee Se-ryeong]
Governor Oh said, "With the Gyeongnam Office of Education Future Education Center established in Uiryeong, not only students and parents in Gyeongnam but people nationwide will visit here to find the direction of education in Korea," adding, "We will do our best to participate in the education office's future education journey and serve as a platform, and strive to grow Uiryeong into a representative future education city of Gyeongnam."
Following this, congratulatory speeches were delivered by Provincial Council Chairman Kim Jin-bu, Education Committee Chairman Park Byung-young, and Uiryeong County Council Chairman Kim Kyu-chan, along with congratulatory videos from Governor Park Wan-su and National Assembly member Cho Hae-jin.
Governor Park said, "I hope it plays a role in awakening children's creativity and potential beyond mere knowledge acquisition," and added, "Gyeongnam Province will create an environment where children can freely pursue their dreams and will continue to cooperate closely with the Office of Education for the future of Gyeongnam."
On the day, Future Education Center Director Lee Soo-kwang said, "I hope the Future Education Center can serve as a new learning space beyond traditional education, helping children enjoy playing and learning, and as a shared home open to all Gyeongnam residents," adding, "I expect students to grow here happier and with more dignity, and we will warmly welcome the children."
At the entrance of the event hall where the Gyeongnam Office of Education Future Education Center opening ceremony is held, a mascot doll is welcoming visitors. [Photo by Lee Seryeong]
The Gyeongnam Future Education Center was built for the first time nationwide on a 48,496㎡ site in Seodong-ri, Uiryeong-eup, Uiryeong-gun.
Since the establishment plan was formulated in May 2018, it received central investment review approval in October 2019, signed an establishment business agreement with Uiryeong County in 2020, broke ground in June 2021, and officially opened on this day.
With an investment of about 49 billion KRW, the Future Education Center was constructed in the form of three connected round structures shaped like bowls called Experience Bowl, Imagination Bowl, and Empathy Bowl.
Each bowl symbolizes the uniqueness as Korea's first, the dynamic and enterprising spirit of future children, and the public nature of being together with the residents.
A banner announcing the opening ceremony of the Gyeongnam Office of Education Future Education Center is displayed in the air. [Photo by Lee Seryeong]
The education center is designed to allow learning of core future technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and the Internet of Things (IoT) at different levels, and also offers linked experiences related to the local history, culture, and food of the Uiryeong area.
Following a pilot operation in July, the Future Education Center officially began operations on August 21 and has received applications for experiences from about 80,000 people by the end of this year.
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