Jeonbuk Provincial Office of Education Accelerates 'Special School Establishment' in Jangsu and Others... Additional Review for Western Region

This Year’s Special Class Formation Standards Improved... 61 Special Classes Increased

The Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Office of Education (Superintendent Seo Geo-seok) is making swift progress to guarantee the right to education for students with special educational needs.

According to the provincial education office on the 23rd, one of this year’s 10 core tasks, "Special Education for All," includes expanding special education institutions. They are promoting the establishment of special schools in three areas including Jeonju, Gunsan, and the Eastern Mountain region in Jangsu.

On the 24th, Jeonbuk Provincial Office of Education held a briefing on the expansion of special education institutions.
[Photo by Jeonbuk Office of Education]

The Eastern Mountain Region Special School to be established in Gyebuk-myeon, Jangsu-gun, will have 10 classes (70 students) and is scheduled to open in March 2026. As the first special school in the eastern region, it is expected to alleviate the inconvenience of long-distance commuting for students with special educational needs who previously traveled to Jeonju and Namwon, and to support their independence through customized vocational education linked to local industries.

The second special school in Gunsan will be built on the site of the former Daeya Elementary School Gwangsan Branch. It aims to open in March 2027. The school will have a total of 21 classes (136 students), including 1 kindergarten, 6 elementary, 6 middle, 6 high school, and 2 specialized classes. Once established, it is expected to improve the overcrowding issues at Gunsan Myeonghwa School, which has been struggling due to a rapid increase in students with special educational needs.

The (provisional name) Jeonju Boreum School, to be established on the site of the former Jeonju Jarimwon, will have 18 classes (132 students) and aims to open in March 2027 as a vocationally focused special school. The curriculum will be specialized around vocational departments such as Human Services, Food Service, and Agricultural Life Industry.

The area will also house a Comprehensive Employment Town for Persons with Disabilities, a Comprehensive Support Center for Persons with Disabilities, and a Research Institute for Employment and Education for Persons with Disabilities, drawing attention as the nation’s first employment-welfare-education linked model.

Additional special schools will also be established in the western region, including Gimje and Buan, where there are currently no special schools. An environmental impact assessment for the educational environment is being prepared in the first half of the year, and once the site is confirmed and the assessment passes, the plan is to complete the internal investment review within this year.

The number of special classes will also increase significantly. This year’s special class allocation results show an increase of 61 classes compared to last year, including 12 kindergarten, 22 elementary, 12 middle, and 6 high school classes.

This improvement is due to a revision of the existing special class formation guidelines, which previously allowed new or expanded special classes only when there were three or more students expected to remain for more than three years. Starting this year, new or expanded classes will be allowed even if there is only one eligible student.

The provincial education office has prioritized the establishment of special schools because, despite the decline in school-age population, the number of students requiring special education is increasing annually, necessitating tailored education according to the type and degree of disability.

In fact, the number of students with special educational needs increased by 10.7% over three years, from 3,859 in 2021 to 4,273 last year. Students with developmental disabilities such as intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and developmental delays accounted for more than 80% of the special education population. They require support not only for personal care and life guidance but in all areas of daily living.

Other major projects include increasing special education support personnel, establishing the Jeonbuk Special Education Center, supporting early diagnosis fees for young children with disabilities, and expanding the placement of nurses in schools.

Superintendent Seo Geo-seok stated, "No one should be excluded or discriminated against in learning because of a disability. I hope that the balanced placement of special schools will improve commuting conditions and the educational environment for students with special educational needs. We will do our best to fully guarantee the right to education for these students."

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