Gwangsik Ahn, Preliminary Candidate for Sejong City Superintendent of Education, to Promote Public International English Village

Pledge to Address Private Education Expenses and Educational Disparities
Through Public Infrastructure Utilization

Kwangsik Ahn, Preliminary Candidate for Superintendent of Education of Sejong City (Photo by Kwangsik Ahn's Campaign)

Gwangsik Ahn, a preliminary candidate for Superintendent of Education of Sejong City, announced, "I will establish the Sejong International English Village to reduce private education expenses and address educational disparities."

On April 23, Ahn held a press conference in the briefing room of Sejong City Hall and announced the plan to establish the "Sejong International English Village" as a special pledge for the sustainable development of education in Sejong City and the cultivation of future talent.

He explained, "Sejong City is regarded as a city with an excellent educational environment, but in the field of English education, there remains a structural limitation of high dependence on private education. Practical English education focused on speaking and conversation, as well as experiential learning opportunities, are not sufficiently provided within the public education system."

He added, "As a result, the burden of private education expenses on parents is increasing, and the educational gap based on families’ economic conditions is widening. Therefore, it is urgent to build public infrastructure that can substantially strengthen English education within public education."

According to the pledge, the Sejong International English Village aims to absorb the demand for private English education into the public education system by offering after-school and weekend programs, as well as intensive camps during vacations, to help students naturally use English in their daily lives.

For preschoolers and elementary school students, the program will provide immersion-based English education focused on play and hands-on experiences. For middle and high school students, the plan includes programs to enhance practical English skills and career-related competencies through debate, presentations, and project-based learning.

The project also includes operating intensive English camps during vacations, creating English education complex facilities by utilizing unused university sites, and using schools in towns and rural areas and community centers in new urban districts to help narrow regional educational gaps and promote balanced development.

Tailored programs for multicultural students and field-based English education programs for students in vocational high schools have also been proposed.

Ahn stated, "Through this project, we can reduce the burden of private English education expenses and contribute to resolving educational disparities. By establishing a practical, public education-centered English program, we will substantially improve students’ communication skills and global competitiveness."

He added, "By utilizing unused facilities in the original downtown area of Jochiwon, we also expect positive effects on revitalizing the local economy and attracting more residents. This will lay the foundation for Sejong City to become a global special education district."

The project will be led by the Office of Education, which will plan and operate the programs, and will minimize initial investment costs by remodeling existing facilities. Funding will be secured in stages based on the Office of Education’s budget, special grants, and national government projects, and a mid- to long-term financial plan will also be established.

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