2025 Education Expense Subsidy Set at 29.6 Billion KRW
Educational Environment Improvement, Commute Vehicle Support, and Autonomous Public High School Assistance
Educational Environment Upgrades at 11 Local Schools Including Science and Technology High School and Sau Elementary
Mayor Kim Byung-su: "Continuous Efforts to Enhance Educational Environment in Daily Life"
Gyeonggi Gimpo City, under the 8th elected administration, which led a major educational boon by being selected as an Education Development Special Zone, has also rolled up its sleeves to expand educational convenience in the daily lives of Gimpo children.
Mayor Kim Byung-su announced on the 18th that this year’s education expense subsidy has been confirmed at 29.6 billion KRW and will be provided to kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools within the city. This amount is an increase from last year and has been gradually expanding since the launch of the 8th elected administration.
This year, the city will support a total of 16 projects including education environment improvement projects (1.375 billion KRW), school commute vehicle rental and operation expenses (460 million KRW), operation of small-scale school commute vehicles (50 million KRW), Autonomous Public High School 2.0 (400 million KRW), new student uniform support for middle and high schools (1.173 billion KRW), middle school field trip support (1.319 billion KRW), high school dormitory program operation support (94 million KRW), private kindergarten teaching materials and tools support (102 million KRW), high school career pathfinding (48 million KRW), elementary survival swimming operation support (6 billion KRW), curriculum specialization support (820 million KRW), after-school program support (300 million KRW), high school capacity enhancement support (420 million KRW), free school meals support (22.449 billion KRW), skills competition athlete development project (20 million KRW), and skills competition venue environment improvement support (26 million KRW).
Educational Environment Changes at 11 Schools Including Gimpo Science and Technology High School and Sau Elementary
Through this year’s education environment improvement projects, 11 schools in the city, including Gimpo Science and Technology High School and Sau Elementary, will see improvements in their on-campus environments.
Mayor Kim Byung-su has diagnosed areas needing improvement by listening to various citizens’ opinions through field administration, parent meetings, and discussions with diverse groups. Based on this, the city plans to select and implement the most urgently needed improvements among the support requests from each school.
Currently, environmental improvements are underway at Science and Technology High School and Sau Elementary. For Sau Elementary, which lacked special rooms and experiential spaces, a digital space including media art installation will be created, transforming it into a great space where children can imagine freely. At Science and Technology High School, where the aging gymnasium posed safety concerns, the entire gym floor will be replaced, turning it into a safe space for physical activities.
Additionally, various improvements such as special room environment upgrades at nine other schools, installation of outdoor multipurpose fields, and demolition and new installation of aging connecting corridors will be carried out. These will be supported promptly once the education office’s budget is allocated in the second half of the year.
Mayor Kim Byung-su is listening to the voices from the field through a meeting with parents. Photo by Gimpo City
Gimpo City Fully Launches Environment for Nurturing Future Talent
Operational support for two schools selected as regionally specialized autonomous public high schools will also be fully implemented starting this year. Following the designation of Gimpo High School and Masong High School as Autonomous Public High School 2.0 last year, the city will support infrastructure tailored to each school’s specialization.
Gimpo High School will receive support for establishing an AI classroom and a multipurpose sports field. This is expected to strengthen AI-related subjects and expand practice-centered education, along with AI teacher training and professional development programs. Furthermore, the multipurpose sports field will maximize multifunctional use for sports, performances, exhibitions, and will operate as an open space shared with local residents.
Masong High School will have an AI studio established. This will enable projects integrating information, technology, science, and art. The city expects that this infrastructure will enhance student-led convergence projects using digital technology and improve students’ creative thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Gimpo Ensures Comfortable Commutes for Students and Peace of Mind for Parents
The city has established a school commute vehicle rental support project targeting schools in areas with insufficient public transportation and schools requiring dispersal of overcrowded classes, deciding to support 10 schools. The target schools are elementary schools where the walking distance exceeds 1.5 km or middle schools where public transportation takes more than 30 minutes within Gyeonggi Province.
In particular, despite financial difficulties, the city confirmed a 1.5 times increase compared to the previous year to alleviate students’ inconvenience of long-distance commuting and has requested budget allocation in the first supplementary budget.
Kim Byung-su, Mayor of Gimpo City, is signing an agreement in June last year for the selection of three high schools and the Autonomous Public High School 2.0 contest. Provided by Gimpo City
Support will also be provided for operating school commute vehicles to ensure the safety of students at small-scale schools. Last year, the plan was for Gyeonggi Province and Gimpo City to share support, but due to Gyeonggi Province’s inability to provide support, Gimpo City covered 100%. This year, Gimpo City will again fully cover vehicle operation costs including fuel, insurance, and repair expenses.
Meanwhile, under the 8th elected administration, Gimpo City is transforming the educational landscape with continuous achievements such as designation as an education special zone and autonomous public high schools, signing a Seoul-run business agreement with Seoul City, and educational cooperation with Yonsei University.
Mayor Kim Byung-su said, “Gimpo City, which is a great place to have and raise children, is actively working not only to upgrade the level of education but also to improve the educational environment in children’s daily lives. We will do our best to ensure that changes that children can feel and grow through in their daily lives continue with support tailored to each school’s situation and characteristics.”
He added, “Children are the most respected citizens of Gimpo. We will continue to actively work for the education and growth of the children who are the future of Gimpo.”
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