(Muan = Yonhap News) Reporter Yeo Woon-chang reports that the Jeonnam Office of Education announced on the 7th that four counties within the province—Goheung, Boseong, Wando, Jindo—have been additionally designated as the third round of education development special zones.
The themes of the projects are: Goheung – a glocal future education valley opening the space age, Boseong – a hub for fostering convergence talents in the agriculture and fisheries of the southern coast, Wando – education embraced by the sea, leading future marine industries, and Jindo – a hub of southern cultural arts and tourism.
Jeonnam received high marks for establishing systematic plans that align with the purpose of the education development special zones and for forming a collaborative promotion system among the four counties.
The Jeonnam Office of Education also mentioned that excellent examples included the organic cooperation between Jeonnam Province and the Jeonnam Office of Education, business plans reflecting regional conditions, and the determination to implement them.
Jeonnam had previously selected 7 regions in the first round and 10 regions in the second round as pilot areas and is now in the second year of these projects.
With the additional designation of 4 regions in the third round, 21 cities and counties within the province have now been designated as education development special zone pilot areas.
In its second year, the Jeonnam education development special zone project is establishing collaboration systems with local cooperation bodies and related institutions based on governance cooperation between local governments and education offices.
Kim Dae-jung, the Superintendent of the Jeonnam Office of Education, stated, “We are seeing effects such as the establishment of region-specific specialized education models, the creation of a care-education integrated system in connection with local communities, and the resolution of educational blind spots,” and added, “We aim for the entire Jeonnam region to become a model for education development special zones through distinctive education policies reflecting regional conditions.”