Construction Delay Three Weeks Before School Opening
Admission Proceeded Without Notice, Parents "Outraged"
Education Support Office "One Month Additional Construction After Opening"
"If school starts in this condition, children might have to attend classes in a dust pit."
On the 16th, at a construction site within an apartment complex in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, construction is underway for Gaewon Elementary School, which is set to open this March. With only two weeks left before the start of the school year, maintenance is still ongoing on the path connecting the schoolyard and the building. The entrance to the building, where enrollment registration is taking place, is covered with exposed dirt, making it difficult to walk properly. Inside the building, the ceiling finishing has yet to be completed in many areas.
Construction is underway at Gaewon Elementary School in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 19th. [Photo by Park Joon-yi]
Parents of first-grade elementary students, who visited the school from the 14th to complete enrollment registration, witnessed this scene. Parent A said, "We were notified that since the school construction is not finished, only parents should attend the preliminary gathering instead of the children," adding, "The school year is about to start, and children will have to eat school meals, but how can we send them to a construction site like this?" Among Gaewon Elementary parents gathered in the apartment complex’s KakaoTalk group chat, complaints such as "The construction was delayed, but there was no notice or countermeasure" and "I will cancel the transfer for now" continued.
Gaewon Elementary, established within an apartment complex that began occupancy last November after reconstruction, is a 'mixed-use school' model where the project implementer (the union) secures school land within the complex and donates it. The construction company started work in October and was scheduled to complete the construction by mid-last month, but delays occurred due to cost settlement issues with the union during the process.
Construction is underway at Gaewon Elementary School in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 19th. [Photo by Park Joon-yi]
The school and the Gangnam-Seocho Office of Education responded belatedly about a month before the school year started. The delay in communication was due to the union’s leading role in the school’s establishment. It was confirmed that parents were not notified about the construction delays. A Gaewon Elementary official explained, "When we checked in December last year, we were told the construction would be finished by mid-January so we could start working," but "the delays continued." It was reported that on the 16th, officials from the Gangnam-Seocho Office of Education, the union, Gaewon Elementary, and parents met to discuss countermeasures.
Priority will be given to completing basic facilities such as classrooms and the cafeteria where classes will be held, while external construction including the playground is expected to continue for about a month after the school opens. A Gangnam-Seocho Office of Education official said, "The actual start of construction was delayed, and weather conditions and cost settlement issues caused further delays," adding, "We will do our best to ensure the opening is not affected, but external construction will continue for about a month after the opening." They also said additional measures will be prepared regarding safety on the commuting path and indoor ventilation.
A Gaewon Elementary official said, "Apart from the construction company, the school plans to conduct its own cleaning and ventilation," and added, "Having children wear masks indoors for a few weeks is also one option."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
