‘Small School Free Attendance Zone’ Contributes to Smooth Academic Management

Increasing Trend of Students Transferring to Small Schools Every Year

Wolpyeong and Jwacheon Elementary School Enrollees Increase from 0 to 17 and 9 Students Respectively

Busan Haeundae Office of Education announced on the 3rd that the ‘Small School Free School Zone’ policy, which is being implemented for six elementary schools in the agricultural and fishing villages of Gijang-gun, is contributing to the smooth academic operation of small schools.

The ‘Small School Free School Zone’ is a policy first implemented by the Haeundae Office of Education in the Busan area in 2022, aimed at revitalizing small schools by allowing students from large schools to enroll in small schools without changing their address.

The Haeundae Office of Education supports the operation of special programs, and Gijang-gun provides funding for school transportation to increase the satisfaction of students enrolled in small schools with their school life.

The small schools include Jang-an Elementary, Jwacheon Elementary, Cheolma Elementary, Wolpyeong Elementary, Chilam Elementary, and Jukseong Elementary. Through this policy, the number of new students enrolled in these schools has been increasing annually, with 37 in the 2022 academic year, 42 in 2023, and 50 expected in 2024.

In the case of Wolpyeong Elementary and Jwacheon Elementary, there were no students expected to enroll in the 2024 academic year within the school zone, but through this policy, 17 new students are expected to enroll at Wolpyeong Elementary and 9 at Jwacheon Elementary.

Students and parents who enrolled in small schools using this policy also showed high satisfaction. According to a satisfaction survey conducted by the Office of Education in July last year, more than 95% of respondents expressed satisfaction with various aspects of small school life.

Won Mi-kyung, Superintendent of the Haeundae Office of Education, said, “The ‘Small School Free School Zone’ is effective in alleviating overcrowding and overcapacity to the extent that it is planned to be implemented in other areas of Busan in 2025,” adding, “Our Office of Education will continue to do its best to improve the educational environment for students in the Jeonggwan and Ilgwang areas by expanding the operation of this policy.”

Number of Students Enrolled in Small School Free School Attendance Zones for the 2024 Academic Year.

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