Up to Seniors and the Digitally Marginalized... 350,000 Won Per Year
First Phase Applications Until May 14, Second Phase in June
On April 25, the Gwangju City Government announced that it will expand the "Lifelong Education Voucher Support Project" to ensure that all citizens have access to learning opportunities. Last year, the program was only available to low-income individuals and people with disabilities, but this year, the eligibility has been expanded to include seniors and digitally marginalized groups.
The Lifelong Education Voucher Support Project was launched to reduce disparities in lifelong education participation caused by social and economic conditions and to broaden access to educational opportunities. Previously, the Ministry of Education and the National Institute for Lifelong Education managed the program, but starting this year, it has been transitioned to a region-led initiative directly operated by 17 metropolitan and provincial governments.
Gwangju City has designated the Gwangju Talent Lifelong Education Promotion Agency as the dedicated institution for this project, and will work together to implement it. Notably, this year, the number of eligible recipients for the Lifelong Education Voucher has increased compared to last year. While last year’s support was limited to low-income individuals (General Voucher) and people with disabilities (Disability Voucher), this year, the program has been expanded to include seniors (Senior Voucher) and digitally marginalized groups (Digital Voucher).
The city will recruit participants in two phases. A total of 2,788 recipients will be selected: 2,067 for the General Voucher, 280 for the Disability Voucher, 196 for the Senior Voucher, and 245 for the Digital Voucher.
In the first phase, applications will be accepted until May 14 from low-income residents of Gwangju (aged 19 and older) who are either recipients of basic livelihood support or near-poverty benefits for the General Voucher, and from registered individuals with disabilities (aged 19 and older) for the Disability Voucher. For the Disability Voucher, priority will be given to registered individuals with disabilities who are also recipients of basic livelihood support or near-poverty benefits, as defined by the Act on Welfare of Persons with Disabilities.
Applications for the General Voucher can be submitted online through the Gwangju Lifelong Education Voucher website, while applications for the Disability Voucher can be submitted online via the Bokji-geum24 website. For the Disability Voucher, applicants may also apply in person at the Gwangju Talent Lifelong Education Promotion Agency for convenience.
The second phase, scheduled for June, will recruit Senior Voucher recipients among Gwangju residents aged 65 and older, and Digital Voucher recipients among adults aged 30 and older who wish to strengthen their digital skills. If there are unfilled slots for the General Voucher after the first phase, additional applicants aged 50 to 64 may be recruited in the second phase through a region-specific selection process. However, recipients of the National Scholarship from the Korea Student Aid Foundation are not eligible for the voucher due to overlapping benefits.
Selected recipients will receive annual support of 350,000 won per person. The support funds must be used with an NH Nonghyup (Chaeum) Card. The voucher can be used to pay tuition and purchase textbooks at educational institutions registered as authorized Lifelong Education Voucher providers.
Kim Kisuk, Director of the Office of Education and Youth, stated, "We expect that operating the Lifelong Education Voucher program through cooperation between the national and local governments will expand lifelong education opportunities throughout all stages of life."
Lee Chunmun, President of the Gwangju Talent Lifelong Education Promotion Agency, said, "As the agency responsible for the voucher program, we will strive to establish a Lifelong Education Voucher system that reflects the unique characteristics of the region."
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