Gwangju Office of Education Announces Temporary Closure for 16 Public Affiliated Kindergartens

Civic Group: "Mid- to Long-Term Measures Such as Consumer-Oriented Policies Needed"

The Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education has announced an administrative notice to temporarily close 16 public annexed kindergartens operated in conjunction with elementary schools in the Gwangju area and has begun collecting public opinions. In response, a Gwangju educational civic group stated, "The Office of Education must establish a plan to revitalize public kindergartens."

Regarding the administrative notice, the Office of Education explained on the 2nd that the reason is the failure to meet the minimum class formation standard of five students, making it difficult to operate the regular curriculum at the annexed kindergartens.

The kindergartens scheduled for temporary closure are those annexed to Buk Elementary, Dong Elementary, Songhak Elementary, Dosan Elementary, Unri Elementary, Hanul Elementary, Hyodeok Elementary, Munhwa Elementary, Seoseok Elementary, Usan Elementary, Geumdang Elementary, Geumho Elementary, Jinman Elementary, Hwage Elementary, Hyogwang Elementary, and Imgok Elementary.

The closure period is from March 1 this year to February 28 next year. The Office of Education plans to decide on the closure within this month unless there are special reasons or objections.

In Gwangju, 12 annexed kindergartens were temporarily closed in the 2023 academic year, and 7 in the 2024 academic year. Among the kindergartens scheduled for closure this year, 5 will be closed for the third consecutive year.

Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education building. Provided by Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education

In response, the Citizens' Coalition for a Society without Academic Cliques, a Gwangju educational civic group, stated in a press release on the same day, "Although the increasing trend of temporary closures of annexed kindergartens due to the declining school-age population is unavoidable, it is necessary to review whether tailored policies for public kindergarten users are being properly supported." They also demanded, "While establishing a plan to revitalize public kindergartens, mid- to long-term measures such as reducing the number of children per class in future kindergarten placement plans are needed."