CHANGWON — The South Gyeongsang Provincial Office of Education said it will seek to host a gifted school affiliated with the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) by converting Gyeongnam Science High School. Kwon Soon-gi, the provincial education superintendent, said at a news conference marking 100 days in office at the provincial education office on the 12th that "if an existing science high school were converted into a gifted school, Gyeongnam Science High School is by far the place that would function properly."
The Ministry of Science and ICT opened a public call in August for the designation or conversion of gifted schools affiliated with science and technology institutes. The South Gyeongsang education office is preparing an application based on conversion, while the Ulsan education office is pursuing a separate establishment. Applications close on the 16th, with final results to be announced after evaluations in November and deliberation in December.
Kwon said Gyeongnam Science High School "ranks among the very top nationwide," adding that "the absence of a gifted school, given South Gyeongsang's economic and population size, is precisely why we must host one."
At the news conference, the office also outlined plans for a "basic academic skills accountability" program, which would combine diagnosis, tailored support and performance reviews into a single system. The office added 21 dedicated elementary basic-skills teachers in the second semester this year and will expand the number to 70. It will also run an "elementary academic jump-up project" to shore up literacy and numeracy among elementary students. The aim is to strengthen individualized support, given that learning levels differ from student to student.
Supplementary learning opportunities will extend into school vacations. A 100-hour immersion camp in mathematics and science will expand to 120 schools, and English camps will start in 2027 at five district education offices. The "South Gyeongsang-style study cafe" program will begin building learning spaces outside schools in Tongyeong and Goseong in the second half of this year.
Kwon identified regional gaps in academic achievement as a challenge. He said the office must examine why gaps persist even though per-student education spending is higher in rural areas. He said he would not consolidate small schools across the board. "We will not force school mergers and will respect the choices of students and parents," Kwon said, adding that he would consider a joint-school model where it benefits students.
He laid out academic targets in stages, aiming first to reach the middle tier among the country's metropolitan and provincial education offices and eventually the top tier. He said, however, that it would be difficult to guarantee reaching the top tier within his four-year term.
On breakfast meal support, a key campaign pledge, Kwon signaled possible expansion. A pilot program began last month covering 1,226 students at four schools, with a second-semester budget of 411.64 million won (about $280,000). "With so few pilot schools, it is hard to identify the strengths and weaknesses, so we plan to expand the number of pilot schools next year," Kwon said.
"Academic achievement is a right students are entitled to and a duty of public education," Kwon said. "We will deliver learning that matches each student's level and pace of growth."