Gyeonggi Province Office of Education 'Breaking Down Walls' with Badminton Association...School Facilities and Sports Resources Exchanged

The Gyeonggi Province Office of Education (Superintendent An Min-seok) will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Gyeonggi Badminton Association on the 18th to expand 'wall-breaking' education that opens school sports facilities to the local community and connects regional sports resources to students.

This agreement goes beyond simply opening school facilities such as gymnasiums and sports grounds to local residents; it is significant in that it breaks down the boundaries between schools and communities and connects resources so that students can also benefit from sports facilities and specialized instructors that the local community possesses.

To this end, both organizations will activate the opening and safe use of school sports facilities within a scope that does not interfere with school educational activities, and expand opportunities for students to participate in sports by utilizing sports resources such as local badminton clubs and instructors. In particular, they will cooperate in operating free badminton sports activity programs for students in connection with the Provincial Office of Education's RAS (Reading·Arts·Sports) education.

Mo Yeon-mo, chairman of the Gyeonggi Badminton Association, said, "As this is the first initiative of its kind in the nation, other cities and provinces are also showing great interest," adding, "With this agreement as an opportunity, we expect students to participate more actively in badminton activities after school, and the local community's diverse sports activities utilizing school sports facilities to expand further."

Superintendent An Min-seok stated, "True 'wall-breaking' is when schools share resources with the community, and the community returns the diverse educational resources it possesses to schools and students," and expressed hope that "the day will come when students naturally enjoy sports in their daily lives by carrying ping-pong paddles and badminton rackets in their school bags." He further emphasized, "This agreement today is significant in that it serves as a starting point for breaking down the boundaries between schools and communities and leading to broader learning and growth for students."