Gyeongbuk Office of Education Designates 15 Schools for Inclusive Education Where Disabled and Non-Disabled Students Learn Together

5 Friendly Schools Including Pohang Indeok Elementary

10 Harmony Schools Including Gyeongju Gyelim Elementary

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education (Superintendent Lim Jong-sik) operates collaborative educational models called ‘Jeongdawon School’ and ‘Eoullim School’ to run inclusive education where students with disabilities and non-disabled students learn together.

Inclusive education is an education system where all members grow together through the formation of a school culture that empathizes, cares, and communicates with each other without distinguishing between disabilities and non-disabilities, and through the development of instructional models.

A scene from a school in the Gyeongbuk region where inclusive education is taking place, with students with disabilities and non-disabled students interacting together.

To realize such inclusive education, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education has designated and is operating five ‘Jeongdawon Schools’ and ten ‘Eoullim Schools’ this year.

Jeongdawon Schools are schools that practice inclusive education by enhancing the instructional capacity for students with disabilities through curriculum cooperation and model development between general teachers and special education teachers.

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education designated five schools, including Induk Elementary School in Pohang, Jeomchon Jungang Elementary School in Mungyeong, and Cheongni Middle School in Sangju, as Jeongdawon Schools through a public contest, providing a budget of 10 million to 20 million KRW per school.

In particular, Cheongni Middle School not only achieved organic integration in physical and social integration and curriculum and instructional activities integration but also involved the entire educational community?including teachers, students with disabilities, non-disabled students, and parents?in educational activities to establish correct attitudes and values toward students with special education needs and disabilities.

Furthermore, Cheongni Middle School was recognized as an excellent case for developing a teaching-learning cooperation model involving both special education and general teachers to create a happy school for the entire educational community and for implementing various measures. It was selected as an outstanding exemplary case at the performance report meeting hosted by the Ministry of Education and presented there.

An inclusive education setting in a school in the Gyeongbuk region where students with disabilities and non-disabled students interact together.

Eoullim Schools are schools that practice various forms of inclusive education such as disability awareness education, discovering cases that promote inclusive education, disability perception improvement education, and disability understanding events.

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education designated ten schools, including Gyerim Elementary School in Gyeongju and Beopjeon Jungang Elementary School in Bonghwa, as Eoullim Schools and supports their operation with a budget of 5 million KRW each.

In particular, Eoullim Schools practice educational activities where all members, including students with special education needs and general students, naturally move forward happily together through empathy and care to improve the reality of special education.

Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of the Gyeongbuk Office of Education, said, “It is necessary to establish a stable inclusive education environment for students with special education needs through positive mutual cooperation between special education teachers and integrated class teachers,” adding, “The Gyeongbuk Office of Education will spare no effort to support a harmonious world where everyone moves forward together.”