Gwangju Office of Education to Hold Public Hearings for Educational Families Ahead of Administrative Integration

Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education building.

The Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education is set to significantly expand its platform for public discourse to gather a wide range of perspectives from educational stakeholders, as part of the push for the administrative integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam.

On January 21, the Office announced that from January 22 to 26, it will hold regional public hearings for educational families and, in collaboration with civic groups, will also host a series of forums.

The regional public hearings for educational families will take place at the Eastern Education Support Office on January 22 and at the Western Education Support Office on January 26, targeting local faculty and parents. Superintendent Lee Jeongseon will personally attend the hearings to share the current status of the Gwangju-Jeonnam educational administrative integration initiative and to listen to the diverse voices from the educational field.

The Gwangju-Jeonnam Educational Administrative Integration Forum will be held on January 23 at the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education Training Institute, with participation from the Office of Education, the Gwangju Citizens’ Coalition, Gwangju Education Civic Solidarity, Gwangju Parents for True Education, the Gwangju branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, and the Gwangju Teachers’ Union.

This series of events has been organized to gather a broad spectrum of opinions-from students, faculty, and parents to expert perspectives from civil society-so that these can be reflected in policy ahead of major changes to the educational administrative system.

Superintendent Lee Jeongseon stated, "Educational administrative integration is a crucial matter that will determine the future educational environment for our children, so it is essential to ensure the independence and autonomy of education above all else." He added, "By listening to the voices of educational stakeholders and actively incorporating their valuable opinions, we will find the most rational and education-centered direction for integration."