Feature Suwon Office of Education Brings Fulfilling Summer Break Through Community-Wide Care and Learning
The Suwon Office of Education (Superintendent Kim Sun-gyeong) has operated a "2026 Summer Vacation Community-Wide Care and Learning Program" to reduce care gaps for students during the summer break and provide diverse learning and experiential opportunities.
This summer program is characterized by operating a "center-based" program utilizing the Taejang Elementary School Community Care and Learning Center alongside an "out-of-school community resource utilization" program that leverages various educational resources in the local community, thereby expanding students' learning and care spaces from schools to the wider community.
◇ Community Learning and Care Found Within Schools
The Taejang Elementary School Community Care and Learning Center operated various special programs reflecting student interests and needs during the vacation for students from Taejang Elementary, Jamwon Elementary, and Mangpo Elementary schools.
Beginning with a magic performance on July 27 that both students and parents attended together, from July 28 to 31, children's cooking classes where students made fresh fruit cakes and hot dogs, and kids gardening using succulents to create personal works were held.
From August 3 to 14, through the "Talents Blooming, Future Learning Classroom," seven courses including experimental science, comprehensive crafts, magic, webtoons, cubes, drones, and Minecraft were offered. Programs were designed so students could directly experience fields they had previously been interested in and develop creativity, problem-solving abilities, and digital competencies.
Additionally, on August 12, sand art experiences combining performances and creative activities using sand were conducted, and on August 26, the "All Five Senses Talking, Aqua Little Explorer Group 2" program was operated at Aqua Planet Gwanggyo with professional docents to learn about the characteristics and ecology of various marine life, providing students with vivid learning experiences outside the classroom.
◇ Local Communities Become Learning Spaces Outside Schools
The Suwon Office of Education expanded operations of an "out-of-school community resource utilization community-wide care and learning program" that leverages human and material resources in the community for students' learning and care during the summer vacation.
From July 27 to August 21, the program operated 14 programs with approximately 300 participants through cooperation with nine local institutions, allowing students to utilize various local educational spaces including libraries, sports facilities, social cooperatives, and cultural and arts institutions located near their neighborhoods.
Programs were broadly structured considering diverse student interests and aptitudes. Educational activities in various fields were provided including Pilates, comprehensive crafts, board games, foreign language conversation, sports, art, safety education, reading activities, art and therapy, coding convergence, science robotics, writing, history, book play, musicals, ensemble, picture book art play, swimming, kids yoga, and kalimba.
Additionally, programs such as children's golf, children's physical growth sports classes, new sports, picture book reading classes, picture book science play, urban forest ecology play, growth exercise Pilates and jump rope, AI digital education, digital sports, soccer, and archery were operated utilizing the region's specialized facilities and expertise.
In particular, by connecting professional facilities such as the Suwon Archery Range and local sports facilities that are difficult for schools to utilize daily with the community as educational spaces, students were able to experience sports and activities that are difficult to access in safe and professional environments. Through this, by connecting the expertise of regional institutions in not only sports but also culture and arts, science and digital, reading and humanities, and ecology with educational programs, "wall-breaking education" that breaks down boundaries between schools and local communities was practiced, and the foundation for community-linked care and learning where the entire village raises children together was expanded.
◇ Learning and Care for Students, Peace of Mind for Parents
This program operated all programs free of charge to reduce educational and care burdens on families, and supported students during vacation to participate in diverse activities with peers within a regular daily routine. In a parent satisfaction survey conducted after program operations, high demand and satisfaction regarding the summer vacation care and learning program were confirmed.
Gyeonggi Province Suwon Office of Education Superintendent Kim Sun-gyeong stated, "Children's learning does not only occur within school walls but can become more enriched through diverse spaces and people in the community," and added, "Going forward, we will actively discover and utilize excellent educational resources in our region and connect them to students' learning and care in accordance with the purpose of 'wall-breaking education' that breaks down barriers between schools and communities."
He continued, "We will construct a more robust Suwon-style community-wide care and learning system where schools and local communities work together to support student growth, providing students with diverse learning and growth opportunities and offering parents a reliable care environment."