No Middle School for 5,000 Households? ... Conflicting Views on New School Establishment

Association and Gwangsan District: "Essential Foundation for Improving Educational Conditions"
Gwangju Office of Education: "Sharp Decline in Student Numbers Makes Establishment Difficult"

The disagreement between the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education, the redevelopment project association, and the local government remains unresolved regarding the establishment of a new middle school within the Singadong redevelopment area in Gwangsan District, Gwangju. While the association and Gwangsan District argue that a new middle school is necessary to improve educational conditions and expand local infrastructure, the Office of Education maintains that it is difficult to establish a new school due to a sharp decline in the student population and project delays.

The site view of the redevelopment project area in Singadong, Gwangsan District, Gwangju, visited on February 27. Photo by Kim Wanjung

According to the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education and Gwangsan District on July 2, the Singadong redevelopment project is a large-scale urban renewal initiative to build an apartment complex of about 5,000 households in an area densely populated with aging houses. After the association received approval for its establishment in 2014, it agreed in 2016, in consultation with the Office of Education, to relocate the existing Singa Elementary School and consider establishing a new middle school. The association has stated its intention to provide these educational facilities free of charge.

However, as the project completion date was postponed from 2020 to 2029, the plan faced setbacks. In 2020, a new middle school with 25 classes already opened within the same school district. Furthermore, the number of students expected to enter middle school in the district is projected to plummet from 2,351 in 2026 to 708 ten years later. As a result, the Office of Education determined that there was no need to establish a new middle school. Accordingly, it recently sent an official notice to the association and Gwangsan District announcing the cancellation of the plan to establish "Singa 2 Middle School" (tentative name).

In response, Gwangsan District recently issued a statement expressing regret over the Office of Education's decision, saying, "The establishment of a new school should not be halted based solely on the school-age population at the time of opening." The district emphasized, "This school is not just an educational facility, but a hub space connecting the community and the school," and called for the Office of Education to reopen sincere discussions. The district also stated its belief that "even if there are difficulties, solutions can be found through communication with citizens."

The gap in positions remained unresolved at a public hearing for residents held at the Gwangju City Council on the same day. The association and residents repeatedly stressed the need to expand educational infrastructure in the area, while the Office of Education reiterated its position that "there are three middle schools within a 20-minute walking distance, and currently there are 30 to 100 available classrooms in these middle schools," insisting that the existing schools can adequately accommodate students through distributed placement.

An official from the Office of Education stated, "It is not possible to build schools wherever they are desired," adding that it is difficult to establish a new middle school due to a combination of reasons, including project delays, opposition from residents, and a declining student population.