Gyeongnam Office of Education's 'Neulbom No. 2' to 'Bloom' This September

Changwon Sangnam Elementary Annex 4th Floor, Target Expanded to 4th Grade Elementary Students

Gyeongnam Office of Education. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] The Gyeongnam Office of Education’s base integrated care center, ‘Neulbom No. 2,’ will open at Changwon Sangnam Elementary School on September 1.

Last year, on March 1, the provincial Office of Education opened ‘Neulbom’ at Changwon Myeongseo Elementary School as a Gyeongnam-style care model.

Neulbom was selected as an excellent case of proactive administration by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in 2021, received the Minister’s Award, and was included as a national policy project by the Ministry of Education as a public care model.

An education office official said, “The satisfaction rate of parents in the province regarding Neulbom is 98.6%,” adding, “Due to high demand for additional base integrated care centers, the annex building’s 4th floor of Changwon Sangnam Elementary School was newly renovated to open Neulbom No. 2.”

He predicted, “Neulbom No. 2 will serve as a new model of social care that integrates elementary care and after-school programs.”

He further explained, “It satisfies care demands beyond regional circumstances and spatial limitations of schools, reducing the workload of schools,” and “It is regarded as an excellent case of utilizing idle spaces in schools located in urban hollowing-out areas.”

The newly introduced Neulbom No. 2 will be used by students from Changwon Sangnam Elementary School and 10 nearby schools including Changwon Sinwol Elementary, Ungnam Elementary, Sapa Elementary, Towol Elementary, Oedong Elementary, Dongsan Elementary, Namyang Elementary, Yongji Elementary, Yongho Elementary, and Namjeong Elementary.

It consists of five care classrooms, eight after-school program rooms, and two play spaces, providing free meals, snacks, and group activity programs within the care classrooms for 125 care students and about 600 after-school students.

The after-school programs operate about 20 courses including sports, music, performance, coding, and computer classes, offering programs that blend culture and arts as well as those designed to develop special skills and aptitudes.

During the semester, it operates from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., during vacations from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The care target has been expanded to include up to 4th grade elementary students, and students who urgently need care can use occasional or gap care services even if they are not regular users.

In addition to providing various programs, counselors are assigned to ensure safe living guidance and support students’ emotional stability through psychological counseling.

The provincial Office of Education operates school transportation vehicles aligned with dismissal times for students who find it difficult to walk, and places volunteers to facilitate smooth handover of students at the base integrated care center during arrival and dismissal.

Parents are notified via text messages about arrival and dismissal situations, and safety guardians such as learning protectors and social service personnel are also assigned.

The Office of Education is recruiting students who wish to use Neulbom No. 2 until August 12, and will conduct additional recruitment as needed based on application status.

Superintendent Park Jong-hoon said, “Neulbom, which made its first start as a base care model, has contributed to filling the gap in elementary care and has established itself as the foundation of the Gyeongnam-style social care system,” adding, “Through Neulbom, we will complete a new model of social care in Korea that involves the local community.”

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