'Visiting School for Empathetic Companionship'... Choi Ho-kwon, Yeongdeungpo District Mayor, Holds Communication Meeting

Visited 44 elementary, middle, and high schools from May to June to communicate with parents and school officials
Gathered vivid opinions from the field and sought solutions to advance as a 'Prestigious Education City'
Immediate actions taken including installation of ground traffic lights and signs for safe school routes, and improvement of aging facilities
Focused on nurturing future talents to lead the 4th Industrial Revolution with the launch of the 'Future Education Foundation'

Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) announced that it will hold a "Communication Meeting with Parents" to listen to various opinions from the field on educational issues and strengthen communication with parents.

The purpose is to proactively respond to rapidly changing education policies and issues by hearing parents' opinions and to establish field-tailored education policies. This reflects Mayor Choi's determination to create a competitive "premium education city" by visiting educational sites weekly to listen closely to parents' vivid opinions and actively reflecting them in district administration.

This "Communication Meeting" will be held at 44 elementary, middle, and high schools, starting with Wooshin Elementary School on May 17. It is a place to break away from the rigid and conventional methods and freely express opinions and communicate.

In previous meetings, Mayor Choi shared various "educational blueprints" for nurturing talent. He listened to difficulties in the education field and parents' suggestions, seeking new solutions through candid discussions that resonated with participants. He then explained the progress of initiatives related to suggestions made last year, including ▲supporting education expenses subsidies of 6.3 billion KRW ▲expanding after-school programs ▲establishing advanced learning environments such as coding education ▲replacing outdated heating and cooling systems.

Earlier, the district took immediate action on matters closely related to student safety, such as illegal parking enforcement, installation of traffic signs and ground traffic lights, and traffic guidance, to improve "safe school routes" based on suggestions received throughout May.

Going forward, the district plans to continue close communication by meeting with school teachers, parents, and others through June.

This communication effort is not the first. Mayor Choi emphasizes on-site and communication administration that prioritizes listening closely to residents' voices and putting residents' interests first. Last year, he visited 170 senior centers to meet with elderly citizens through "Warm Companionship with Seniors" and listened to parents of elementary, middle, and high school students through "Empathy School Day."

Additionally, the district is preparing to leap forward as a premium education city and nurture future talents by launching the "Yeongdeungpo-gu Future Education Foundation" this year. It focuses on nurturing talents to lead the 4th industrial revolution through ▲the "Overseas Advanced Science Creativity Camp" that allows students to face a broader world ▲the experience- and practice-oriented "Science Experience Classroom" ▲the "Science Culture Voucher" that enables anytime use of science museums.

Parent Lee ○○ (female, Mullae-dong) said, "Through this meeting, I could once again feel Mayor Choi's passion for education and talent development," and added, "I hope opportunities to meet face-to-face with parents will continue to be provided."

Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, stated, "The opinions gathered at this communication meeting will become valuable groundwork for a premium education city," and added, "We will listen carefully to voices from the field and provide generous support so that Yeongdeungpo-gu students can focus on their studies in an excellent educational environment without worries."