Shinan-gun, 10 Students to Attend Hongdo Branch School in Crisis Next Year

Taking the First Step Toward a New Beginning: Nurturing Big Dreams at a Small School

Shinan-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Park Woo-ryang) has faced the crisis of school closures every year along with population decline over the past several decades. In this situation, bold challenges such as guaranteeing housing facilities, providing jobs, and paying sunlight child allowances were attempted to save Heuksando Hongdo Branch School.

According to the county on the 11th, 12 households wishing to transfer (enroll) to Heuksando Hongdo Branch School were selected, and the first on-site briefing session was planned from the 23rd to the 24th of last month but was canceled. Similarly, the second session scheduled for the 28th to the 29th was postponed due to a typhoon warning.

An on-site briefing session is being held for 12 households wishing to transfer (enroll) to Heuksando Hongdo Branch School.
[Photo by Sinan-gun]

Finally, after the third attempt on the 4th and 5th, the on-site visit and briefing session were completed.

Moreover, the recruitment of students for Hongdo Branch School attracted nationwide interest, with about 180 phone inquiries and two rounds of written screening, resulting in five households visiting Hongdo. Ultimately, from next year, four households with 10 students will be able to attend Hongdo Branch School.

In addition, it is expected that the laughter of children will resonate even more loudly on the Hongdo Branch School campus when students who had no choice but to transfer to Mokpo due to lack of friends return.

Governor Park Woo-ryang stated, “Most schools in Shinan-gun are small schools with fewer than 60 students,” and added, “We will protect these schools through administrative and financial support to save small schools in the future.”