Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Provides Cultural Arts and Physical Education Programs at Neulbom School for First Graders

Vice Minister Jang Miran Serves as a One-Day Instructor at Neulbom School
On-Site Inspection of Program Operations Starting March

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 28th that, according to the '2024 Neulbom School Implementation Plan,' customized cultural arts and physical education programs will be provided to first graders who have just entered elementary school starting from the first semester.

President Yoon Seok-yeol visiting Suwon Elementary School in Gyeonggi Province to observe the Neulbom School program.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Neulbom School will be held for free for two hours every day. To foster creativity and social skills, part of the program will be filled with various play-centered cultural arts and physical education activities. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism prepared for the successful establishment of Neulbom School through preliminary meetings and progress checks in collaboration with the Korea Arts & Culture Education Service, the Korea Sports Council, and others.

The Korea Arts & Culture Education Service planned a convergent cultural arts education program that crosses various artistic fields such as visual arts, dance, theater, and music, unlike existing after-school and care programs, to nurture creative talents for the future generation. Starting in March, it will support about 100 cultural arts education programs in approximately 340 classes, and operate the 'Neulbom School Masterclass,' where renowned artists from each field will visit Neulbom School directly during the first half of the year.

The Korea Institute of Korean Studies will dispatch 150 'Story Grandmothers' to 150 elementary schools nationwide. The Story Grandmother project, which began in 2009, involves sending elderly people to early childhood education institutions to tell old stories and anecdotes of ancestors, and since the second half of last year, its activities have expanded to elementary schools.

Physical education programs, which were surveyed as the most preferred field by prospective first-grade parents, will also be supported with customized programs by sport. A total of 12 specialized sports organizations, including handball, will provide about 150 classes with customized programs developed so that children can enjoy them safely and enjoyably. Representative examples include a handball program that modifies game rules, standards, and equipment to ensure safety and educational effectiveness for elementary students, and 'Newple Dance,' which combines dance sports with K-pop music.

In particular, Jang Mi-ran, a former national athlete and the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, will personally serve as a daily physical education instructor during the program period to directly convey the joy and value of sports. The Ministry will conduct classes by active or retired athletes at more than 200 elementary schools in cooperation with professional sports organizations and will additionally support 13 programs from 12 designated sports clubs through the specialized program operation support project.

Yoo In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, "Neulbom School is a cross-government task that requires the combined efforts of related ministries such as the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism," adding, "Providing high-quality cultural arts and physical education from the first grade of elementary school enhances students' healthy physical development, creativity, and artistic sensibility, and serves as an opportunity to enjoy culture routinely throughout their lives. We will consult with the Ministry of Education to further expand the programs."

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