Green Smart Future School Faces Challenges... Pre-Consent, Modular, and Transfer Controversies

Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Selected Without Prior Consent
Some Schools to Promote Transfers to Nearby Schools Starting Next Year
Parents Oppose, Calling It a Step Toward 'Innovation School'

Parents of 10 elementary and middle schools in Seoul held a press conference opposing Green Smart Schools on the 7th in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Due to COVID-19 quarantine measures, attendees other than the speakers stood outside the fence where the banner was hung. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The ‘Green Smart Future School’ project, which involves rebuilding and remodeling school buildings that are over 40 years old, is facing difficulties even before breaking ground.

On the 7th, a coalition of parents from 10 schools including Yeoui Elementary and Middle School, Yeonhui Elementary, Daebang Elementary, Eonbuk Elementary, Doseong Elementary, Sinyongsan Elementary, Yonggang Middle School, Yeongbon Elementary, and Jungdaebu Middle School held a press conference at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education demanding the cancellation of the designation for the Green Smart Future School project. Last month, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced that by 2025, 213 schools would be targeted for the project, with 93 of them to be rebuilt. This year, 35 schools were selected for rebuilding and 22 for remodeling. Among the schools targeted for rebuilding, asbestos was detected in 70 schools, and 88 schools require seismic reinforcement. Since rebuilding involves demolishing old buildings and constructing new ones, it takes about three years to complete, while remodeling takes about 12 months. The Green Smart Future School is one of the Korean New Deal projects under the Moon Jae-in administration and a key project of the Ministry of Education this year.

The reason parents oppose the project is that the parental consent process was omitted, and during the construction period, students must attend classes in modular classrooms or transfer to other schools, which worsens the learning environment. Yeonhui Elementary School sent a notice stating that it will not accept new students from next year and will close temporarily from 2023, sparking backlash from parents. A parent from Yeonhui Elementary said, "Current students are being forcibly transferred to nearby schools more than 2 km away, but the school proceeded unilaterally without seeking prior consent."

A parent from Mokdong Elementary said, "It is frustrating and infuriating that children have to study in container buildings vulnerable to cold and heat for three years." A Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education official said, "We will finalize the plan after sufficient consultation, such as conducting construction in phases or accommodating students in modular classrooms," and added, "We will review whether to proceed with the project mainly for the schools that raised issues and aim to reach a conclusion as soon as possible."

Parents of 10 elementary and middle schools in Seoul held a press conference opposing Green Smart Schools on the 7th in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Many parents also think that the Green Smart Future School project is a step toward ‘Innovation Schools’ introduced by the progressive education community. Innovation Schools emphasize creative learning abilities through discussion, participation, and experience, but there are many concerns about academic decline. A parent from Eonbuk Elementary pointed out, "They only emphasize rebuilding, but the Ministry of Education’s plan includes innovative teaching and learning, space innovation linked to the curriculum, and school facilities open to the local community as part of the plans and goals."

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education stated that although there is misunderstanding about the project name, it is unrelated to Innovation Schools. If the safety of school buildings is not a major issue, the project may be canceled and additional schools selected through a public competition process.

An official from the Ministry of Education said, "We selected project targets prioritizing the degree of aging and safety, but it is difficult to ignore this evaluation and assign only to lower-priority schools," and added, "We plan to persuade parents as much as possible and proceed with the project after thorough parental consent from next time."

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