Wanju-gun Aims to Continue Last Year’s Mythical Streak of All Students Passing the High School Equivalency Exam

Wanju County's Out-of-School Youth Support Center will officially begin operating a tailored mentoring program to help out-of-school youths return to school and become self-reliant ahead of the "2026 First High School Equivalency Examination" scheduled for April. Provided by Wanju County

The Wanju-gun Out-of-School Youth Support Center (hereinafter referred to as Wanju Kkumdream) will fully roll out a customized mentoring program to help out-of-school youth return to their studies and achieve independence ahead of the First 2026 High School Equivalency Exam to be held this April.

This program has been designed not only to help students pass the exam, but also to enable them to develop systematic study habits and find emotional stability. In particular, as all 30 test-takers passed the exam last year, the center plans to carry that momentum into this year as well.

Since January, the center has been recruiting an excellent group of university student mentors in collaboration with local universities such as Woosuk University, Jeonju University, and Jeonbuk National University, and has completed 1:1 matching with 12 participating youths through an orientation session.

Notably, this year a graduate who achieved the dream of entering university through Wanju Kkumdream has returned as a mentor to give back the support once received from seniors, putting the value of a virtuous cycle into practice and adding a heartwarming touch.

The participation of a mentor with an unusual background is also drawing attention. A former public official who left a stable public service career as a narcotics investigator and took on a new challenge at the age of thirty, achieving a top-tier score on the College Scholastic Ability Test and admission to a college of pharmacy in just seven months, is the main example. By generously sharing his own intensive study know-how, he is expected to strongly motivate the youths in their studies.

The mentoring program will shift to a full-scale intensive study system starting in March. Along with 1:1 individualized guidance, group mentoring will be conducted in parallel to enhance learning outcomes, ensuring close and thorough support up until right before the exam.

The head of the Wanju Kkumdream Center said, "Seeing graduates become seniors who lead their juniors is the most beautiful outcome that an out-of-school youth support project can achieve," adding, "We will continue to provide unwavering support so that young people do not let go of their studies and can confidently design their own career paths."

Meanwhile, in addition to support for the High School Equivalency Exam, the Wanju-gun Out-of-School Youth Support Center operates a wide range of tailored programs on a regular basis to promote the healthy growth of out-of-school youth, including professional counseling, self-reliance support, and job experience opportunities.