Busan Office of Education Accelerates Specialized High School System Reform

Agreement on Establishing Specialized High Schools with Naval Headquarters on the 29th

Busan Naval Science and Technology High School Established in Partnership

Busan Metropolitan Office of Education signed a business agreement on the morning of the 29th of last month at the Navy Headquarters in Gyeryong-si, Chungnam (Chief of Staff Yang Yong-mo) to foster Ministry of Education agreement-type specialized high schools.

Busan Metropolitan Office of Education and Naval Headquarters signing an agreement on March 29.

The Ministry of Education agreement-type specialized high schools aim to realize customized education through agreements among education offices, local governments, specialized high schools, institutions, and universities to cultivate essential talents for the region and the nation.

This Ministry of Education-supported project starts with the designation of 10 schools this year and plans to select a total of 35 schools by 2027. Schools selected through the public contest will receive financial support ranging from 3.5 billion to 4.5 billion KRW over five years.

The signing ceremony was held with the attendance of Ha Yun-su, Superintendent of Busan Metropolitan Office of Education, Kang Dong-gil, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, and other officials.

Through this agreement, the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education and the Navy Headquarters agreed to cooperate in establishing the ‘Busan Navy Science and Technology High School’.

The city education office will support the budget and teacher expansion necessary for school establishment and operation, while the Navy Headquarters will collaborate on the selection process of naval non-commissioned officer students and provide academic opportunities after commissioning through special admissions for long-term service.

Additionally, Busan City and the Korea Maritime and Ocean University will also participate in supporting the school establishment.

Scheduled to open in 2025 by converting Haeundae Technical High School, the ‘Busan Navy Science and Technology High School’ will operate various educational programs to cultivate ‘naval non-commissioned officers,’ essential personnel for the nation, centered in Busan, a naval hub region.

The school plans to operate six classes per grade, with three classes in the Propulsion System Department and three classes in the Combat System Department, selecting a total of 96 students with 16 students per class. All admitted students who pass the Navy Headquarters’ certification standards will be commissioned as naval non-commissioned officers upon graduation. In particular, for long-term service, academic opportunities such as associate and bachelor degrees will be provided as part of competency development education.

The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education plans to renovate the main building, classroom building, and dormitory of the existing Haeundae Technical High School to provide the best educational environment equipped with practice rooms and training equipment for nurturing naval non-commissioned officers.

The Navy Headquarters will support linked practical training, unit experiences, and industry-academia joint instructors utilizing resources from the Naval Operations Command and Naval Education Command.

Ha Yun-su, Superintendent of Busan Metropolitan Office of Education, said, “Our education office is accelerating the restructuring of vocational high schools through this agreement, the opening of Busan Aviation High School, the establishment of Busan Port Logistics High School, and agreements with Korea Maritime and Ocean University. We will strive to restructure vocational high schools with substance to cultivate talents needed by the region and the nation.”