Seocho-gu's 'Seocho-type Education Safety Net' Established to Fully Address Educational Polarization

Gu District's 'Seocho-type Education Safety Net' Comprehensive Package to Address Learning Gap in the COVID Era ... ▲ Expansion of 1:1 Customized Learning Program 'AI Smart Schooling' ▲ Support for Online Course Vouchers at Famous Academies for High School Students Mentored by Seoripul Saem ▲ Introduction of Seoripul Saem's 'Special Learning Program' ▲ Expansion of Career Exploration Program 'Seocho Very Happy Dream Finding' Project ▲ Support for One-Stop Career and College Exploration Learning Solutions Using AI Analysis Programs

AI Smart Schooling

Seoripulsaem Mentoring

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seocho-gu (Mayor Eunhee Jo) is comprehensively establishing and actively strengthening support for the ‘Seocho-type Education Safety Net’ for elementary, middle, and high school students to bridge the learning gap caused by COVID-19.

The main initiatives include ▲expanding the 1:1 customized learning program ‘AI Smart Schooling’ ▲providing online course vouchers for famous academies to high school students who are mentees of Seoripul Saem ▲introducing the Seoripul Saem ‘Special Learning Program’ ▲expanding the career exploration program ‘Seocho Very Happy Dream Finding’ project ▲and supporting a one-stop career and college entrance exploration learning solution using AI analysis programs.

Highly effective existing support projects will be further expanded and strengthened, while actively identifying newly emerging areas of need to provide thorough and meticulous educational support.

First, the ‘AI Smart Schooling’ program, which was first implemented nationwide in April last year and received a 97% satisfaction rate with great response, will be expanded to support up to 800 students nationwide, including multicultural and North Korean defector students in educational blind spots, as well as other vulnerable elementary and middle school students.

‘AI Smart Schooling’ is a specialized program unique to Seocho-gu that combines online and offline education systems where an ‘AI teacher’ using an artificial intelligence learning device collaborates with a human teacher called Seoripul Saem. The AI acts as a ‘kind private tutor,’ providing 1:1 online customized learning programs tailored to the student’s level. In addition, excellent local human resources such as retired teachers, women who have experienced career breaks, and youth serve as mentors called ‘Seoripul Saem,’ offering not only academic support but also career coaching and psychological counseling to fulfill emotional needs.

Also, starting in August, the district will support vulnerable high school students by providing online lecture vouchers from famous academies and funds for purchasing textbooks. In the midst of gaps in school education, vulnerable children and adolescents who heavily rely on public education tend to lose motivation and are left unattended. This support aims to reduce educational gaps by allowing students to take desired courses without financial burden.

Alongside this, since June of this year, a ‘Special Learning Support Program’ has been implemented for Seoripul Saem mentees including lower-grade elementary students, children with basic academic difficulties, children from dual-income and multicultural families, increasing learning time from 1 hour to 2 hours once a week. Students who are somewhat academically behind or outstanding are separately selected to receive additional face-to-face mentoring. Currently, about 100 students are using the special learning support service.

In addition to bridging the educational gap for vulnerable children and adolescents, the ‘Seocho Very Happy Dream Finding’ project, which helps them find their dreams and plan their future, is also being expanded. The project, previously conducted only for children using local children’s centers, is now extended to children using Seoripul Saem from this year.

Career coaching planners stationed at each local children’s center provide career counseling, theoretical classes, and career experiences through home visits or non-face-to-face consultations, helping children understand themselves and increase their understanding of occupations.

Starting in September, a one-stop career and college entrance exploration learning solution using AI analysis programs will be provided to high school students preparing for college entrance exams.

By analyzing scattered entrance exam information through AI data analysis, the program will suggest learning methods suitable for each student, improve learning efficiency, and provide consulting services to help explore careers and schools that match their grades and aptitudes.

Seocho-gu Mayor Eunhee Jo said, “In the COVID era, educational polarization and learning gaps are widening day by day. We will do our best to make the ‘Seocho-type Education Safety Net’ more thorough so that no one is left behind,” adding, “We will carefully and meticulously watch over our children, who will lead our future, with a mother’s heart to provide equal starting opportunities.”

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