Councilor Hong Gi-wol: "Expand Designation of Small School Autonomous School District System"

"Transfer and Enrollment Should Be Possible Without Address Change"

Hong Gi-wol, Gwangju City Council Member

A call has been made to expand the designation of autonomous school districts that allow enrollment and transfer without address changes to attract students to small schools in the Gwangju area.

On the 4th, Hong Gi-wol, a member of the Gwangju City Council (Democratic Party, Dong-gu 1), stated during an administrative audit of the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education, "As the school-age population in the region decreases and the number of small schools increases, the crisis of local extinction is becoming a reality," adding, "We must actively implement policies to revitalize small schools that fit the local environment."

He continued, "Since attracting students is the most critical factor for small schools, increasing the number of students requires not only school support policies but also the development of local living infrastructure; however, there are administrative and financial difficulties," emphasizing, "We need to ease the enrollment and transfer issues, which are important factors in choosing small schools, and prepare special measures to strengthen school support."

Small schools refer to rural small schools and urban small schools under the 'Ordinance on Support for Small Schools and Attached Kindergartens in Gwangju.' Rural small schools are elementary and middle schools located in areas where agriculture is the main industry, including 11 elementary schools such as Gwangju Dong Elementary, Samdo Elementary, Bonryang Elementary, Songhak Elementary, and 3 middle schools: Imgok Middle, Pyeongdong Middle, and Daechon Middle. Urban small schools are elementary schools located in urban areas designated by the superintendent of education, including 15 schools such as Seoseok Elementary, Jungang Elementary, and Sansu Elementary.

However, among these small schools, only eight rural small schools, including Gwangju Jisan Elementary, Gwangju Buk Elementary, and Donggok Elementary, have been designated as autonomous school districts. In particular, Imgok Middle School, with a total enrollment of 15 students, only allows admission to students who graduated from Imgok Elementary, highlighting the urgent need to consider expanding the autonomous school district designation.

Councilor Hong said, "Maintaining rural small schools is the best measure to respond to local extinction and is also akin to the succession and preservation of sustainable local resources," adding, "If the expansion of autonomous school districts for rural small schools and school support policies are harmoniously implemented, small schools will gain vitality."

He also urged, "In the case of urban small schools, legal school districts are set according to the 'Regulations on the Decision, Structure, and Installation Standards of Urban and Military Planning Facilities,' but related regulations should be revised to allow the designation of autonomous school districts for small schools that fit the local environment."

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