Gyeongbuk Office of Education to Provide 52 Million Won in Support for 10 Students with Hearing Impairments... Hearing Aid Purchases and Cochlear Implant Surgery Fees

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education (Superintendent Lim Jongshik) announced on May 26 that it will provide customized support, including cochlear implant procedures, by selecting 10 students in order to expand educational participation for students with hearing impairments and to reduce the financial burden on their parents.

The support is available to students with hearing impairments who are enrolled in special schools, as well as kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools in the Gyeongbuk region. Eligible recipients include students who require cochlear implant surgery, those who need replacement of related components, and those who need support for purchasing hearing aids. Actual expenses will be covered up to 10 million won per person.

Gyeongbuk Office of Education provides surgery fees and hearing aid purchase costs to students with hearing impairments.

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education received applications last month and conducted on-site inspections and phone consultations to assess the degree of disability, family environment, school life, and urgency of replacement timing. Based on the deliberation of a selection committee composed of external members, the office ultimately selected one student for cochlear implant surgery, three students for replacement of internal and external cochlear implant devices, and six students for support with hearing aid purchases.

A total budget of 52 million won will be provided in two phases: in June this year and in January next year.

Cochlear implant surgery is a surgical procedure that helps individuals with severe hearing loss to hear sounds. The procedure is expensive, and even after surgery, replacing internal and external devices (every 5 to 10 years) incurs significant costs, placing a heavy financial burden on parents.

The customized support for cochlear implant surgery provided by the Gyeongbuk Office of Education is expected to contribute not only to the improvement of students’ language development and learning abilities, but also to the enhancement of their communication skills. This will help students study naturally with their peers and lay the foundation for them to live confidently in society.

Lim Jongshik, Superintendent of the Gyeongbuk Office of Education, stated, "With this customized support, we will actively help students with hearing impairments overcome the difficulties they face due to sound and enable them to fully realize their potential in an educational environment equal to that of non-disabled students."

Meanwhile, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education was the first in the country to begin supporting cochlear implant surgery fees in 2022, and over the past four years, it has provided a total budget of over 300 million won to 48 students. The office continues its efforts to ensure the healthy growth and educational opportunities of students with hearing impairments.

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