Gyeongnam Office of Education Implements 'Metropolitan School District System'... 200 Students Transferred from Dong to Myeon This Year

Resolving Overcrowded and Overpopulated Schools, Expanding School Choice

Measures to Enhance Convenience for Commuting and Other Activation Plans

Gyeongnam Office of Education.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] The Gyeongsangnam-do Office of Education announced that the number of students transferring from urban areas to rural schools has increased due to the implementation of the ‘Middle School Wide-Area School District System’.

The Wide-Area School District System is a policy that allows students from overcrowded or oversized middle schools within a school district to unilaterally enroll in nearby smaller schools (underpopulated classes) within the same district without changing their address, by adjusting the school commuting zones.

The Gyeongnam Office of Education initiated the Wide-Area School District System to resolve oversized schools and overcrowded classes and to revitalize small schools.

Currently, the system is being implemented in 19 schools across Jinju, Tongyeong, Gimhae, Miryang, Geoje, and Yangsan areas, and it is reported that 200 students will enroll in rural areas this year.

This year, Jangmok Middle School, Dundeok Middle School, and Oepo Middle School in Geoje City were designated as schools under the Wide-Area School District System, resulting in an increase in enrollments from students living in urban areas.

At Jangmok Middle School, 18 out of 29 first-year students, and at Dundeok Middle School, 10 out of 27 students are expected to come from urban areas. Each school has increased their classes by one to welcome new students, and at Oepo Middle School, 4 out of 19 students are transferring from urban areas.

Dosan Middle School in Tongyeong, which has been implementing the Wide-Area School District System since 2021, had 63 new students from urban areas last year, and 110 students are expected to enroll this year, with four additional classes being added.

The Gyeongnam Office of Education confirmed the high demand for the middle school Wide-Area School District System and plans to activate the system to expand school choice for students and parents and to support small schools.

On the 15th, a work council meeting will be held to gather opinions on supporting commuting convenience for students and linking the wide-area commuting zones with elementary schools.

Kang Man-jo, Director of School Support, said, “If students are distributed through middle school district adjustments, the problems of oversized and overcrowded schools can be resolved, and small schools will be revitalized. We will strive to establish standards that satisfy the educational community and education consumers.”

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