A Single Voucher Given to Students Revived Local Bookstores and Stationery Shops

Gwangju Office of Education's "Kkumdreumi" Voucher Widely Welcomed by Local Businesses
Expansion to More Middle and High School Students This Year... Addressing Welfare Blind Spots
Scholarships and Dinner Support Provided Through the Hope Ladder Foundation

Educational welfare for a single student has opened the doors of local stores wide. The “Kkumdreumi Voucher” introduced by the Gwangju Office of Education is gaining traction in neighborhood businesses such as bookstores and stationery shops, creating a flow of small-scale consumption. The Gwangju Office of Education plans to further expand the scope of voucher support this year to more thoroughly cover welfare blind spots.

The "Gwangju Education Hope Sports Day - A Day to Go to the Baseball Stadium" event held last June. It was conducted as a private donation event and as part of educational welfare. Provided by Gwangju Office of Education

According to the Gwangju Office of Education on the 24th, the “Kkumdreumi” voucher program has been implemented since last year. This program provides a voucher worth 1 million won per person to third-year middle and high school students from multi-child families, low-income households, multicultural families, and North Korean defector families. An analysis of voucher usage last year showed that it was used in a variety of local businesses?bookstores (31%), study rooms (21%), optical shops (20%), and stationery stores (14%)?contributing to the revitalization of the local economy.

Satisfaction with the program was also high. In a survey conducted last year, 96% of the 5,662 respondents expressed satisfaction, and 96% said it was a great help to their household finances. There were also suggestions to expand the range of eligible recipients and places where vouchers could be used. In response, the Office of Education will expand eligibility this year to include second- and third-year middle school students and second- and third-year high school students, with plans to cover all middle and high school students by 2026.

Welfare programs through the Gwangju Hope Ladder Foundation are also being actively promoted. Until last year, 101 scholarship students were supported, the study room environment of 23 households was improved, and dinner expenses for 755 low-income third-year high school students were provided. Programs for multicultural families, such as visiting parents’ home countries and a traveling multicultural arts theater, have also received positive feedback.

The "Cultural Arts Theater Visiting Schools" held last December was operated by the Gwangju Hope Ladder Education Foundation for eight elementary schools to improve multicultural awareness. Provided by Gwangju Office of Education

This year, welfare initiatives will be further expanded to include support for students in child welfare facilities, support for socially disadvantaged students, nurturing future talent, and operating cultural experience and communication days for educational families. New elementary school students received 100,000 won, and new middle and high school students received 300,000 won each as entrance preparation funds, while graduating students were provided with 60,000 won each for graduation album fees.

Superintendent Lee Jungseon stated, “We will do our best to provide tailored support so that students can focus on their studies,” and added, “The Office of Education, schools, and the local community will work together to build an even stronger safety net for students.”

Meanwhile, the Gwangju Office of Education won the Excellence Award for its “Integrated Support Platform for Students Victimized by Crime” and the Encouragement Award for its “Simplified Kkumdreumi Voucher Distribution Project” at the “Active Administration Best Practices Competition” hosted by the Ministry of Education last year.

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