Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Actively Leads Efforts to Improve Educational Environment in Seonun District

Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, announced on the 28th that it is making active efforts to improve the educational environment in the Seonun district by operating a close cooperation system with the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education and proposing various measures through a public-private council.

In this regard, parents in the Seonun district are demanding improvements in the educational environment, such as the expansion of Seonun Middle School and additional classrooms, as well as transportation measures to alleviate the inconvenience of long-distance commuting to middle and high schools. In particular, Seonun Middle School, which opened 11 years ago in 2013, is currently operating, but its class size is far too small to accommodate the increasing number of students due to urban development in the Seonun district.

Responding to the voices of parents and residents in the Seonun district, Gwangsan-gu has been seeking alternatives since January through the ‘Gwangsan-gu Education Environment Improvement Public-Private Council,’ actively proposing to the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education and Gwangju City the following: urging the normalization of high school corporations facing shortages, actively promoting the establishment of the tentatively named ‘Gwangsan High School’ (scheduled to open in March 2027), requesting additional classrooms, and preparing transportation convenience measures for students assigned to distant schools.

Accordingly, the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education, in consultation with Gwangju City, has shortened the bus intervals during school commute times by adjusting the ‘Ilgok 38’ route, which passes through the subway station and Jeonnam High School, from a minimum interval of 15 minutes to 10 minutes, and the ‘Seonun 14’ route, which passes through Sangmu High School and Sangil Girls’ High School, from a minimum interval of 12 minutes to 10 minutes.

In addition, Gwangsan-gu is actively proposing the establishment and operation of new village buses together with the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education to improve transportation convenience for students in the Seonun district.

The Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education is involving Seonun Middle School parents as members of the ‘2024 High School Assignment Committee’ to reflect the voices of local parents in the ‘2025 Academic Year General High School Assignment Criteria’ and is making efforts to ensure fairness.

However, concerns are rising over the worsening shortage of classrooms at Seonun Middle School due to the long-distance assignment phenomenon in Gwangsan-gu high schools next year and the start of move-ins at Jinarichae in Seonun 2 district, making it urgent to prepare countermeasures.

Accordingly, on the 5th of next month, Gwangsan-gu plans to hold a policy meeting with parents of Seonun Elementary and Middle Schools, Gwangju Metropolitan City, the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education, and local members of the National Assembly to discuss measures regarding educational issues in the Seonun district.

A Gwangsan-gu official stated, “During the 8th term of the civilian administration, Gwangsan-gu has actively responded to various educational issues such as long-distance assignments and new school establishments by operating a close cooperation system with the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education,” adding, “We will make further efforts to promptly prepare measures to alleviate the inconveniences of students and parents in the Seonun district and improve the educational environment, centered on the public-private council.”