Yangju and Hanam to Establish Independent School Education Offices by September 2027

The Dongducheon-Yangju Education Support Office and Gwangju-Hanam Education Support Office will be separated, with new independent education support offices established in Yangju and Hanam respectively.

Provincial Education Superintendent An Min-seok held a press conference at Yangju City Hall on the 29th, announcing that the provincial education office will pursue the separation and establishment of education support offices in regions where local government cooperation and opening conditions are in place, in order to rapidly respond to region-specific educational needs.

Accordingly, the Yangju Education Support Office and Hanam Education Support Office will open in September 2027, after which the province plans to gradually establish independent education support offices in all 31 cities and counties within Gyeonggi Province. Currently, 26 education support offices operate within Gyeonggi Province.

According to the provincial education office, Yangju's student population has exceeded 34,000 due to new city development and transit-oriented development projects, while Hanam's student population has exceeded 41,000, with continued demand for an independent education support office due to increased educational needs from Goasan District development.

The provincial education office plans to accelerate opening preparations by adding "barrier-breaking collaboration" with Yangju and Hanam cities to the legal framework prepared through amendments to relevant laws and ordinances this year. The two local governments have contributed to early opening through measures such as providing free space.

Yangju will utilize municipal facilities in Deokjeong-dong and the current Yangju Education Support Center, while Hanam will utilize the Hanam City Comprehensive Welfare Town and the current Hanam Education Support Center.

The provincial education office plans to launch an opening preparation team next year to establish organizational structures, personnel, and facilities. It will address region-specific issues such as overcrowded classrooms and rural educational conditions in Yangju, and student placement due to new city development in Hanam, while strengthening field support by deploying necessary personnel to schools.

Superintendent An Min-seok stated, "Just as Yangju and Hanam cities actively cooperate and have opening conditions in place, we will proceed with separation and establishment in regions that meet these criteria. We will realize educational autonomy where regional education issues are responsibly solved at the local level and schools and teachers receive support from nearby."