Gyeongnam Education Groups Say "No" to Planned Abolition of Village Education Community Support Ordinance

Superintendent Park Jonghun: "Village Education Community Revitalizes the Region"

Amid the legislative notice for the repeal of the Gyeongsangnam-do Village Education Community Revitalization Support Ordinance, educational and civic groups in the province have voiced their opposition.

On the 7th, Gyeongnam Education Solidarity, Hope for Education Gyeongnam Parents' Association, and Changwon Women's Association held a press conference in the provincial council's briefing room and expressed their opposition to the repeal of the ordinance.

They argued, "The Village Education Community Revitalization Project began in Gimhae in 2016 and has now taken root throughout all 18 cities and counties in the province," adding, "In small cities and rural areas facing the crisis of regional extinction and population decline, various programs tailored to each region's characteristics have resulted in high participant satisfaction."

They also questioned, "Has there ever been a project that achieved a 90% satisfaction rate by combining educational and local autonomy?"

Gyeongnam Education Solidarity, Education Hope Gyeongnam Parents Association, and Changwon Women's Association are holding a press conference opposing the repeal of the ordinance supporting the revitalization project of the village education community.
Photo by Lee Seryung

They said, "The provincial council cited the project's political bias as the reason for the repeal," and added, "We ask them to clarify what exactly constitutes political bias and in which programs such judgments were made."

They continued, "Parents do not want this to escalate into a second free school meal conflict," and added, "If there are shortcomings, the Gyeongnam Office of Education, the provincial council, and the 18 local governments can come together to find better solutions. We, the residents and parents, are willing to participate as well."

The Gyeongsangnam-do Village Education Community Revitalization Support Ordinance, which forms the foundation for the Happy Education Districts and Happy Village Schools?key pledges of Superintendent Park Jonghoon?was enacted in July 2021 to create an educational ecosystem where schools, villages, and local communities unite and cooperate.

Each year, a budget of approximately 12 billion KRW is allocated to this project, with 10 billion KRW for the Future Education District (Happy Education District) project and about 1.7 billion KRW for the operation of Happy Village Schools.

The Gyeongnam Provincial Council gave legislative notice of the ordinance's repeal on the 19th of last month, citing reasons such as the project's political bias and inadequate qualification screening for village instructors.

Last year, the Special Budget and Accounts Committee cut the entire supplementary budget proposed by the Office of Education.

The reasons included the fact that a village instructor publicly supported Superintendent Park during his candidacy, the involvement of an individual linked to the so-called Changwon Spy Ring incident as a village instructor for three years, concerns over the neutrality of education, the implementation of ideological and value-based education, and inadequate recruitment and management standards for ensuring the professionalism of village instructors.

With the provincial council having announced the legislative repeal of the ordinance, rallies both for and against the repeal are scheduled to take place near the council on the 10th.

The Special Committee on Ordinance Revision of the provincial council plans to hold a meeting with Office of Education officials and a committee meeting on that day, and will decide on the repeal in the plenary session on the 15th.

Jonghun Park, Superintendent of Education in Gyeongnam, is holding an emergency meeting of education directors, ordering policy responses regarding the preservation of the village education community.
Photo by Gyeongnam Office of Education

On the same day, the Gyeongnam Office of Education, led by Superintendent Park Jonghoon, held an emergency meeting with education chiefs from all 18 cities and counties, emphasizing the necessity of the village education community and discussing policy responses.

Superintendent Park said, "The value of the village education community will be revealed as something that revitalizes the region," and added, "There is growing social concern about regional extinction, and Gyeongnam is no exception."

He continued, "Now is the time to pool regional capabilities, regardless of whether they are from the government, local governments, or the private sector," and urged, "With a sense of responsibility and conviction for education, I hope you will do your best to create conditions for mutual growth between the region and education, including the village education community."