Urgent Call for the Establishment of an Elementary School in Godeok Gangil 3 District, Gangdong-gu

Urgent Call for School Establishment by Seoul Superintendent of Education... On the 11th, discussed the establishment of an urban campus at the site of the tentative Ganghyeon Elementary School with Seoul Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon... Requested prompt school establishment to alleviate overcrowding in nearby schools and ensure a safe commuting environment

Kangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Soo-hee) met with Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, on the 11th to request the prompt establishment of an elementary school in Godeok Gangil 3 District.

Currently, a school site is planned for the establishment of an elementary school in Godeok Gangil 3 District, but the decision to establish the school has been delayed due to a lack of students.

In response, Mayor Lee Soo-hee met with the president of SH Corporation in November 2022 to request confirmation of private sales for Block 12 to secure more school-age children, and through continuous efforts, succeeded in securing the confirmation of private sales for Block 12 last November.

Additionally, in a meeting with the Minister of Education in March 2023, active cooperation was requested for the establishment of a new elementary school in Godeok Gangil 3 District, and in January of this year, the necessity of establishing a school was urged again during a meeting with the head of the Gangdong Songpa Education Support Office.

Not only Kangdong-gu but also residents of Godeok Gangil 3 District took part, and in September last year, following the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education’s stance that resident consent is essential for establishing the Seoul-type branch school called ‘Urban Campus,’ a survey was conducted, and 97.9% of residents submitted consent forms to the city education office.

However, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has not yet finalized the establishment plan due to reasons such as securing funding for the school establishment. In October last year, the city education office announced a plan to establish an ‘Urban Campus’ on the site, citing Ganghyeon Elementary School (tentative name) as an example, which was reported by major media outlets. But since the media announcement, there has been no further progress, causing frustration among residents.

The most anxious are the parents of students in Godeok Gangil 3 District.

Currently, students in Godeok Gangil 3 District are assigned to Gangsol Elementary School, which is as far as 1.4 km away, requiring about a 30-minute walk to commute. Although the school operates a school bus, some students from certain complexes cannot use it. Even those who use the school bus often arrive at school early on the first bus at 8:05 a.m., and the older students who arrive early cannot enter classrooms and have to wait in places like the library.

The district holds the position that an elementary school must be established promptly in the 3 District to ensure a safe educational environment for students.

Mayor Lee Soo-hee of Kangdong-gu said in the meeting, “Currently, residents of Godeok Gangil 3 District are so desperate that they have submitted a petition for the establishment of a school to the Seoul City Council,” and requested, “We hope that you will face the situation where children’s safety is at risk due to the lack of progress and promptly promote the establishment of the school, including measures to secure funding for the school establishment.”