Mayor Kim Kyungil: "I Hope Schools Will Be Reborn as Open Spaces for Local Residents"

Paju City Holds Business Agreement Ceremony for Pilot Project on Full Opening of School Facilities
Creating Open Spaces for Local Residents, Including Golf Practice Ranges and Gymnasiums
Sinsan Elementary, Jeokam Elementary, Cheongseok Elementary, and Simhak High School Participate as Pilot Schools for Facility Opening

Paju City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Kyungil) announced on the 22nd that it had signed a business agreement on the 21st with the Paju Office of Education and four schools?Sinsan Elementary, Jeokam Elementary, Cheongseok Elementary, and Simhak High School?for a pilot project for the full opening of school facilities.

Kim Kyungil, Mayor of Paju City (third from the left), is taking a commemorative photo after signing a business agreement on the pilot project for full opening of school facilities with the Paju Office of Education and four schools including Sinsan Elementary, Jeokam Elementary, Cheongseok Elementary, and Simhak High School on the 21st. Provided by Paju City

The agreement, attended by Kim Kyungil, Mayor of Paju City, Jeon Seona, Superintendent of the Paju Office of Education, and the principals of Sinsan Elementary, Jeokam Elementary, Cheongseok Elementary, and Simhak High School, includes a mutual commitment to cooperate so that school facilities can be utilized as open spaces for local residents. This will be achieved by expanding spaces for community sports and cultural activities and fostering collaboration within the educational community.

The core of the agreement is that schools will open their spaces to residents, while Paju City will assign management personnel to schools, provide support for operating and maintenance costs, and cover liability insurance premiums. This is intended to alleviate the financial burden on schools resulting from facility opening and to create a stable operating environment.

This year, a total of four schools have been designated as pilot schools for the full opening of school facilities: Sinsan Elementary (Multicultural Specialized Community Care Center), Jeokam Elementary (Golf Practice Range), Cheongseok Elementary (Gymnasium), and Simhak High School (Lifelong Learning Classroom in cooperation with a university).

Kim Kyungil, Mayor of Paju City, stated, "Schools are valuable comprehensive cultural facilities for the local community," and added, "Through this agreement, I hope schools will be reborn as open spaces where all local residents can come together, going beyond their role as places of learning."

During this year's pilot project period, Paju City plans to conduct regular inspections to analyze issues and areas for improvement, and subsequently expand the number of schools fully opening their facilities in stages.