Jo Seunghyun, Preliminary Candidate, Announces Education Pledge to Establish Arts Middle and High School and Expand Support for Daily Uniforms

Jo Seunghyun, Preliminary Candidate for Gimpo Mayor, Announces Education Pledge

Jo Seunghyun, preliminary candidate for Gimpo mayor, announced an education pledge focused on promoting the establishment of an arts middle and high school and expanding support for student uniforms.

Jo Seunghyun, a preliminary candidate for mayor of Gimpo, announced an educational pledge on the 24th focusing on the promotion of establishing arts middle and high schools and expanding support for student uniforms. Photo by Jo Seunghyun, preliminary candidate.

On the 24th, candidate Jo stated, "The need to establish an arts middle and high school has been continuously raised in order to foster local talent in culture and the arts and to improve the educational environment." He pointed out, "Currently, there is no arts middle or high school in Gimpo, so students are forced to continue their studies in other areas such as Goyang or Seoul."

He also said, "Although Gimpo is a city with a population of 500,000, it has only one special-purpose high school, which is a foreign language high school," adding, "Gimpo City attempted to attract a Gyeonggi-type science high school in 2024, but failed to pass the preliminary designation review. Therefore, there is a need to prepare alternatives for attracting new special-purpose high schools."

According to the Gimpo Office of Education in Gyeonggi Province, although the problem of overcrowded classes in elementary schools in the Gimpo area has been resolved, overcrowding in middle and high schools persists, especially in the Gimpo Hangang New Town and original city center development areas. In addition, about 34,000 new households are expected to move in, raising concerns that resolving the overcrowding issue in middle and high schools may be further delayed.

Candidate Jo stated, "Establishing a new arts middle and high school will expand educational diversity and also help alleviate the problem of overcrowded middle and high schools," adding, "I will pursue its establishment through consultation with the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education."

Candidate Jo also pledged to expand support for student uniforms. This includes moving away from the current focus on formal uniforms to a system centered on daily wear and gym uniforms that consider students' mobility, and expanding support for these items.

He pointed out, "Currently, formal uniforms are provided free of charge, but gym uniforms, which often cost more than 100,000 won, must be purchased separately in many cases," adding, "In reality, students rarely wear the formal uniforms provided due to discomfort."

Accordingly, he announced plans to shift the existing in-kind uniform support to a cash or voucher system, allowing students and parents to select and purchase the items they want. He also said he would support local schools in reducing formal uniforms and transitioning to daily wear and gym uniforms, in cooperation with the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education.

He added, "At the city level, we will also actively crack down on collusion among uniform retailers."

Candidate Jo, who is himself a parent of a youngest son who has just entered middle school, expressed his intention to continue to pay close attention to Gimpo City's education policy moving forward.

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