Gwangju Office of Education Bulk Purchase of Electronic Whiteboards... Budget Waste at Individually Purchasing Schools

The electronic whiteboard distribution project promoted by the Gwangju Office of Education achieved both budget savings and quality improvement through bulk purchasing. However, some schools’ choice to make individual purchases led to budget waste and a decline in quality, prompting calls for strict adherence to the bulk purchasing policy and for the Office of Education to strengthen its oversight and management.

Gwangju Office of Education

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According to the Gwangju Office of Education and the civil group Society Without School Ties on April 29, the Gwangju Office of Education allocated 9.7 billion won for the 2024?2025 electronic whiteboard distribution project and pursued bulk purchasing. However, out of 132 eligible schools, 51 chose not to follow the bulk purchasing policy and opted for individual purchases; among these, 48 were private schools.

Society Without School Ties analyzed the project through a request for information disclosure and found that the bulk purchasing method was more effective than individual purchases in terms of both budget savings and quality assurance.

For the 81 schools that chose bulk purchasing, 582 units were installed, with an average unit price of 6,078,000 won and a budget savings rate of 12.80%. In contrast, for the 51 schools that chose individual purchases, 395 units were installed, with an average unit price of 6,131,000 won and a budget savings rate of only 9.81%.

The quality gap was also clear. Products purchased through bulk procurement uniformly featured high specifications such as QLED panels and built-in OPS. However, among individually purchased products, only 13% had QLED panels and 63% were equipped with OPS.

Society Without School Ties pointed out, "Although schools that made individual purchases cited the need for diverse product choices, in reality, many still selected products from the bulk purchasing suppliers," adding, "The justification for individual purchases is weak."

Another issue is the lack of oversight and management by the Gwangju Office of Education. The Office only received reports on project execution results from schools that made individual purchases and did not conduct separate management or inspections regarding contractors or procedures.

Similar problems have been revealed in other regions. The Incheon Office of Education is currently undergoing a trial over alleged collusion between an electronic whiteboard supplier and a city council member, while the Gangwon Office of Education was subject to an audit due to favoritism towards a particular supplier.

Society Without School Ties urged the Gwangju Office of Education to disclose the contract status of schools making individual purchases, to adhere to the bulk purchasing policy, and to request audits and investigations in cases where contract irregularities are identified.

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