Park Jong-hoon, Gyeongnam Superintendent of Education, "Can't Delay Saving the Earth Any Longer, Will Implement Ecological Transition Education"

2023 New Year Press Conference Held

Park Jong-hoon, Superintendent of Gyeongnam Office of Education, is answering reporters' questions at the 2023 New Year's press conference. / Photo by Ryeong Lee

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] “The direction for the new Gyeongnam education in 2023 is to cultivate the power of independence to live on one’s own and the power of coexistence to live together.”

Gyeongnam Superintendent of Education Park Jong-hoon said this at the New Year press briefing held on the 12th at the Sejong Hall of the EduTech Center at the Gyeongnam Training Institute of the Provincial Office of Education.

Superintendent Park set student-tailored education and ecological transition education as the goals for Gyeongnam education in the new year.

“To realize future education, lessons must connect beyond the classroom to the world and to students’ lives,” he said, expressing his ambition, “We will nurture our students’ ability to live in the era of digital and ecological transition through lessons connected to the world.”

This year, the Gyeongnam Office of Education plans to operate focusing on ▲curriculum realization ▲student growth realization ▲staff professionalism realization ▲future school realization ▲ecological transition realization.

They will implement student-tailored learning through iTalkTalk and the Basic Academic Support Center, open and expand the regional integrated care center Neulbom, strengthen staff capabilities through the EduTech Center, resolve overcrowded classes, reduce the number of students per class, simplify administrative tasks, and establish the Gyeongnam Ecological Environment Education Center.

Superintendent Park, who said, “Ecological transition education will become the foundation of Gyeongnam’s education policy,” raised his voice for the establishment of the Gyeongnam Ecological Research Institute.

He expressed his will to change the culture of schools and the Office of Education so that all educational members in Gyeongnam live in harmony with nature.

To respond to the climate crisis, he also announced plans to expand environmental education special zones to 13 regions, gradually install solar power facilities and electric vehicle charging stations, and operate the Climate Angel club.

He said, “Saving the Earth can no longer be postponed,” and added, “This year, the theme of student training centers in the province will be planned as ecological transition education, and next year, programs centered on this will be operated.”

He also mentioned the operation of all general high schools in the province designated as research and preparation schools for the high school credit system this year, and preparation for the high school credit system through the Gyeongnam Online School.

“So far, we have equipped all schools in the province with related facilities and distributed devices to enable remote classes whenever desired, and have accumulated technology,” he said. “Through this, Gyeongnam Online School is ahead of other cities and provinces, and we will be able to quickly improve any shortcomings during operation.”

Regarding fire safety management responsibility within schools, he promised, “If children are not safe, schools have no value to exist. Safety is as important a value as the curriculum, so I will step forward to coordinate and compromise opinions so that fire safety responsibilities are not passed around.”

On this day, Superintendent Park said, “This year is the time to take stronger steps solely for the happy future of Gyeongnam students,” and added, “We will not simply prepare for the future but move toward education that creates a sustainable future.”

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