Bucheon City Accelerates Science High School Establishment... Unified Local Community Including City Council Resolution Adoption

Bucheon City in Gyeonggi Province is accelerating efforts to establish a science high school.

With the Bucheon City Council supporting the establishment of the science high school, the city announced on the 15th that it plans to hold a public briefing for citizens and closely coordinate with related organizations such as the Office of Education, the City Council, and Bucheon High School.

On the 14th, the Bucheon City Council held a plenary session and unanimously adopted a "Resolution Supporting the Establishment of a Science High School" with all 26 council members voting in favor. The resolution, proposed by Chairman Choi Seong-woon, emphasized the need to guarantee opportunities for Gyeonggi Province students to receive proper science education and to nurture talent in advanced science and technology fields by establishing a science high school in Bucheon.

Gyeonggi Province, with a population of 13.63 million, currently has only one science high school, Gyeonggi Buk Science High School, located in Uijeongbu. In contrast, Seoul (9.38 million) and Incheon (3 million), which have smaller populations, each have two science high schools.

The Bucheon City Council pointed out in the resolution that "non-metropolitan areas such as Busan, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam each have two science high schools," and that "the rate of benefit from science education for Gyeonggi Province students is only half that of other regions." It also criticized that "Bucheon has no science high school, foreign language high school, autonomous private high school, or autonomous public high school," adding that "middle school students in Bucheon who want to receive advanced education have no choice but to move to other regions for admission, which is a factor that lowers the city's competitiveness."

Considering the practical conditions for establishing a science high school, Bucheon City is pursuing a plan to convert Bucheon High School into a science high school rather than building a new school. Bucheon High School, which has been operating as a "science-focused school" since 2016, is well-prepared in terms of curriculum for subjects such as mathematics and science for the transition to a science high school. The fact that Bucheon High School itself is actively moving forward with the conversion is also a positive factor.

With the science high school conversion in mind, Bucheon High School was selected for the "Green Smart School Gyeonggi-type Space Restructuring Project" and secured 23 billion KRW for facility improvement. Construction, which began last year, is scheduled to be completed by 2026. The city expects that this will significantly reduce the budget and time required to establish the physical infrastructure necessary for the science high school.

Mayor Jo Yong-ik of Bucheon (second from left), Kim Young-chan, Principal of Bucheon High School, Choi Sung-woon, Chairman of Bucheon City Council, and Kim Sun-bok, Director of Bucheon Office of Education, are posing for a commemorative photo after signing the "Joint Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Establishment of Bucheon Science High School" on December 15, 2023. 2023.12.15 [Photo by Bucheon City]

The city has established a collaborative system with related organizations to establish the science high school. In November last year, the Bucheon Office of Education, Bucheon High School, and the city launched the "Science High School Conversion Promotion Committee," and in December of the same year, they signed a "Joint Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Promotion of Science High School Establishment," including the Bucheon City Council.

Bucheon City plans to accelerate efforts to attract the science high school, supported by the research results announced by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education in December last year, which stated that "it is reasonable to designate four or more additional science high schools in the province," as well as the strong cooperation and favorable atmosphere within the local community. The city will review the consultation status with the provincial Office of Education and the Ministry of Education and establish a close response system, as well as hold public briefings and hearings.

Bucheon City expects that if the science high school is established, it will create great synergy by connecting the city's advanced industrial base, including the existing Bucheon Robot Industry Research Complex and the future Bucheon Daejang SK Green Techno Campus, with scientific talent.

In addition, with the existing Subway Lines 1 and 7 and the Seohae Line, plus the metropolitan railway Daejang-Hongdae Line and the Greater Seoul Metropolitan Express Railway (GTX) Lines B, D, E, and F, Bucheon will have a fivefold station area. The city anticipates that this dense transportation network will play a significant role in improving the educational environment in the southwestern Gyeonggi region, including Gwangmyeong, Siheung, and Ansan, when the science high school is established.

Mayor Jo Yong-ik of Bucheon said, "Considering both the feasibility and practicality of establishing a science high school, converting Bucheon High School into a science high school is the most reasonable alternative," and added, "We will establish a science high school to make Bucheon a city focused on advanced science."