"Students Are Also Outside School" Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Operates Customized Education Programs

Operation of GED-Centered Programs
Support for University Student Mentoring
Help Center Expanded to Hub Type

Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced that it will operate customized education and programs for out-of-school youth and organize a career mentoring group centered on university students.

The Seoul Office of Education announced the Seoul-type comprehensive mid- to long-term support plan for out-of-school youth on the 24th. This project will receive 4.4 billion KRW in support, including the operation of customized programs focused on the qualification exam (Geumjeonggosi).

While the school-age population is decreasing, the number of students dropping out of school is increasing. According to Statistics Korea and others, the school-age population decreased from 6.065 million in 2016 to 5.776 million in 2018, but the number of students who dropped out increased from 47,000 to 52,000 during the same period. It is estimated that there are about 240,000 out-of-school youth nationwide.

Through this plan, customized qualification exam learning mentoring and mock exams for out-of-school youth will be supported. This is based on the results of a survey on the actual conditions of out-of-school youth, which showed that they mainly hope for support in learning and career fields. To assist this, a support group for qualification exam learning mentoring will be organized, and a self-sustaining alumni association will be created.

The Help Center (Chingurang), opened in 2014, has been used as a care and rest space, but it will be established and operated as a hub-type Help Center. In addition, a new Help Center will be created under the name of Out-of-School Future School.

In the future, consultations will be held with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to improve awareness and systems. While continuously promoting business agreements with public, private, and academic institutions, a support council for out-of-school students will be formed to explore mutual cooperation measures.

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, said, "Students exist both inside and outside of school. I hope that through the process of expanding comprehensive support for out-of-school students, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and our society, walking together with out-of-school students, will reflect on the role of schools and the mission of public education and create a new opportunity for leap forward."

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