Gwangju Office of Education Leads in Promoting Mutual Growth Through Educational Resource Utilization

Sharing Parking Lots and Opening Sports Facilities
Supporting Safe School Routes

The Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education continues to foster cooperation with the local community by utilizing educational resources.

According to the city education office on the 26th, efforts have been underway since 2023 to alleviate the chronic parking shortage around educational institutions by promoting shared parking lots in collaboration with Gwangju Metropolitan City and the five autonomous districts.

Currently, parking lots at a total of 14 schools?1 in Dong-gu, 4 in Buk-gu, 8 in Seo-gu, and 2 in Gwangsan-gu?are being shared, with plans to add one more school starting in March. The office also signed a memorandum of understanding with Nam-gu in December last year and is discussing ways to share school parking lots there as well.

Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education building.

The city education office is also contributing to improving the quality of life for local residents by providing spaces for culture, sports, care, and education.

The Unam Complex Culture and Sports Center, which opened last September, was initially planned by Buk-gu but faced difficulties due to the lack of available land. The city education office stepped in, providing the vacant site left by the relocation of Gyeongyang Elementary School and covering 25% of the construction costs. The center features facilities such as a sports climbing wall, virtual reality experience center, playroom for infants and toddlers, cultural and artistic spaces, care facilities, and even a "Teacher Growth Maru."

The city education office was also selected for the Ministry of Education's "School Complex Facility Project" and is promoting the "Hope Connection Center Project" at Ilgok Middle School, to be completed by December this year. Plans include a community greenhouse and a barefoot walking trail accessible to citizens. In addition, the tentatively named Singa 2nd Middle School, scheduled to open in March 2029, will feature a youth culture center and a gymnasium.

Furthermore, the office is actively participating in efforts to ensure safe walking and commuting routes for students.

To minimize walking risks for students as part of Gwangsan-gu's "Usan District New Village Project," parts of the sites of Gwangsan Middle School and Songwoo Elementary School will be provided free of charge. This will enable the construction and expansion of sidewalks, pedestrian pavement, and the improvement of pedestrian blind spots.

Superintendent Lee Jungseon stated, "We are making various efforts such as sharing educational institution parking lots and reorganizing school facility spaces to support the convenience of local residents," adding, "We will continue to implement policies that move forward together with the community."