Jang Seok-woong, Jeonnam Superintendent of Education, Overcomes 'Unprecedented Crisis' with Cooperation and Wisdom

Jang Seok-woong, Superintendent of Education for Jeonnam, evaluated the COVID-19 crisis as "overcome through the cooperation and wisdom of the members of Jeonnam's schools" during an expanded executive meeting. Photo by Jeonnam Office of Education

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Jang Seok-woong, Superintendent of Education of Jeonnam, defined the COVID-19 situation as an unprecedented crisis and evaluated that “it was overcome through the cooperation and wisdom of the members of Jeonnam’s schools.”

Superintendent Jang said at the expanded executive meeting on the morning of the 3rd, “Since my inauguration, schools where democratic organizational culture has been established and professional learning communities have functioned properly have set examples even in crisis situations,” and added, “The efforts of the provincial education office staff who supported the field to promote school-level autonomy and reduce workload during the COVID-19 situation were significant.”

Superintendent Jang diagnosed, “The biggest issues when closing the first semester are learning loss and learning gaps,” and said, “Jeonnam, characterized by many small-scale schools and our office’s proactive measures, has relatively less learning loss and learning gaps caused by school closures and online classes compared to other cities and provinces, but the problem is equally serious.”

Regarding solutions, he emphasized, “We must expand face-to-face attendance classes or enhance teachers’ online teaching capabilities to increase the proportion of interactive classes, thereby establishing a personalized feedback system.”

He conveyed, “The Ministry of Education announced that in the second semester, schools will be allowed to autonomously expand face-to-face attendance classes by relaxing the density application standards,” and added, “The Ministry will also strengthen customized educational support for elementary students with basic academic deficiencies in lower grades and will enhance support for city and provincial education offices that are implementing guidance plans for such students during this summer vacation, like Seoul, Busan, and Daegu.”

He continued, “I hope that the first semester will be evaluated soberly and that plans for the second semester’s curriculum operation will be established,” and added, “I also hope that the provincial education office will actively consider measures for expanding face-to-face attendance classes as declared by the Ministry of Education, support for elementary first and second graders with basic academic deficiencies, and operation plans for subject-customized after-school programs during the second semester.”

He said, “I was proud to receive praise that the effect of placing dedicated teachers for elementary basic academic skills for the first time nationwide was significant,” and expressed gratitude, “I thank those who creatively planned and executed this project.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.