[Interview] Candidate Jang Gwanho for Superintendent: "Setting a New Standard for Public Education with Both Character and Competence"

Transitioning from a Winner-Takes-All System to Personalized Education for All
Adopting Jeong Seonghong’s "Responsible Decentralization" Policy
Regional Education Offices to Operate with Independent Budgets and Authority
Current Superintendents Criticized for Failed Educational Philosophy and Widespread Budget Waste
Youth Transportation PASS and Child Seed Insurance Draw Attention
"Aim to Build an Educational System Where Jeonnam and Gwangju Grow Together"

Jang Gwanho, candidate for Superintendent of Education for the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City, has expressed his ambition to "establish a new standard for public education, enabling everyone to possess both character and competence, moving beyond the current competitive education system."

Jang Gwanho, candidate for Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City Superintendent of Education (left), is explaining key pledges and policies at Kim Ugwan's Sesangmansa event titled "The Era of Integration, Asking the Way of Education in Jeonnam-Gwangju," held at MSL Studio in Buk-gu, Gwangju on the 15th. Photo by Min Changi

On the 15th, appearing on "Sesangmansa with Kim Ugwan: The Era of Integration, Asking the Path of Education in Jeonnam-Gwangju"—a program on the YouTube channel of The Asia Business Daily Honam News Bureau—Jang stated, "I will build a public education system where every student can develop both character and skills."

Regarding his intention to run, Jang said, "I hope education in the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Metropolitan City will become an opportunity for a new future in education." He added, "This year, the number of new elementary school students in Gwangju has dropped below 10,000, and 34 elementary schools in Jeonnam have no new students," expressing his concern about the situation.

He continued, "I was born and raised in Gwangju and spent 25 years teaching in Jeonnam," emphasizing, "The first superintendent of education for the integrated metropolitan city must understand the sentiments and educational context of both regions. I believe I am the person who can design the future of integrated education in Jeonnam-Gwangju with the most innovative approach."

Policies of Progressive Superintendent Candidates

Regarding his core pledge of "a new standard for public education," Jang said, "We will shift from a competitive education system where only one person is first to a personalized education system where everyone can excel." He explained, "For preschoolers, the focus will be on play, reading, and experiential learning; for elementary students, on foundational academic skills; for middle school students, on three types of coaching—learning, experience, and relationships; and for high school students, we will take responsibility for career and academic guidance, helping them develop both mental resilience and academic strength."

He went on, "We will be the first in the nation to provide an annual basic education allowance of 1.2 million won to students up to the third year of high school, ensuring equal starting lines. After transitioning to a joint governance system involving all education stakeholders, we will introduce a real-name system for the education budget and establish a participatory and collaborative education governance system where all stakeholders make decisions together."

Regarding his rival for candidate unification, Jeong Seonghong, Jang said, "He has long been an ally in education. Although we have worked in different regions, our direction for the children has always been the same." He analyzed, "This unification is not simply two candidates becoming one, but the result of an urgent demand to fundamentally change education in Jeonnam and Gwangju."

He added, "Among Jeong Seonghong’s pledges, I would most like to adopt the 'responsible decentralization-type education office' system. Currently, Gwangju has two education support offices, and Jeonnam has 22. If these are vertically integrated under the main office, the field will become even more distant." He pledged, "I will divide the integrated education office into Gwangju, eastern, and western regions, granting each region practical authority and budget to take responsibility for student placement, basic academic skills, student care, and small schools."

Evaluation of Current Superintendents

Jang criticized Lee Jeongseon, Superintendent of Gwangju, and Kim Daejung, Superintendent of Jeonnam, stating that during their terms they undermined administrative trust, pursued failed educational philosophies, and wasted budgets.

Jang said, "Superintendent Lee Jeongseon is currently on trial for allegedly illegally hiring a high school classmate as an auditor. The auditor's role is to oversee corruption and irregularities in the education office, so appointing someone with personal connections is not merely a mistake," he admonished.

He continued, "Without proper utilization, verification, or analysis of educational effectiveness, more than 100 billion won was poured into the smart device distribution project, resulting in wasted budget. He held a narrow and outdated educational philosophy, focusing excessively on competitive entrance exams, which is not the same as true competence."

Regarding Superintendent Kim Daejung of Jeonnam, Jang stated, "The Jeonnam Office of Education received one of the lowest integrity ratings nationwide from the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission." He added, "During his term, he went on more than ten overseas trips, with inflated airfares reportedly charged to the budget."

He also said, "There are even rumors about visiting casinos. As the head of education responsible for teaching children, he should have held himself to much stricter standards and provided specific explanations."

Furthermore, he stated, "Budgets have been concentrated on publicity and events rather than classrooms. The publicity budget was nearly doubled compared to before, with 18 billion won spent on a five-day event and 16.4 billion won allocated to restroom projects in 33 schools. Tens of billions of won were also invested in attracting international students, but frontline teachers and parents found it hard to relate to these projects."

In addition, "The basic operating budget for schools was cut by more than 20 percent. The 1.3 trillion won Education Finance Stabilization Fund has been completely depleted," he said. "This fund serves as a 'safety pin' in education finance, meant to cover emergencies or reductions in central government grants. Currently, the Jeonnam Office of Education has no emergency funds left," he added.

Strategies to Overcome the Education Gap between Jeonnam and Gwangju

Jang explained, "The number of students in Gwangju and Jeonnam is almost identical, at around 177,000 each. However, Gwangju has 578 schools, while Jeonnam has 1,324—more than twice as many. Gwangju, as an urban center, faces challenges with competitive entrance exams and the burden of private education, while Jeonnam, with its urban-rural mix and dispersed structure, struggles with regional disparities, commuting, and population decline."

He emphasized, "The most important principle is to clearly recognize our differences and progress together. In Gwangju, we will reduce the number of students per class and build a system where public education absorbs private education. In Jeonnam, we will connect local industries with education, directly linking students’ career paths to their local communities."

He continued, "In rural and fishing villages, we will preserve small schools by transforming them into specialized schools that utilize local resources, rather than merely maintaining them. On the islands, we will strengthen remote and collaborative classes, introduce a Youth Transportation PASS, and expand itinerant teachers to guarantee equal educational opportunities regardless of location."

Regarding policies that parents in the region can feel, he said, "From my first day in office, I will prepare the 'Youth Transportation PASS' so that young people in Gwangju and Jeonnam can freely use buses and public transportation. I am also considering the 'Child Seed Insurance,' which will provide a payout when children graduate high school, supporting their future endeavors."

Meanwhile, Jang Gwanho began his teaching career in 1999 and retired in February last year after 25 years. He has served as head of the Jeonnam branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, national policy chief, and has been active as a presidential advisory committee member for the National Unification Advisory Council, representative of the National Sovereignty Education Forum, standing representative of the National Education Autonomy Innovation Alliance, and co-representative of the Jeonnam Education Council.

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