The Ministry of Science and ICT (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Bae Kyung-hoon) launched a competition on the 7th to designate and convert around three existing high schools in seven regions that lack gifted schools into gifted science schools attached to science-technology institutes. The aim is to open a growth pathway for regional talent to receive university-level advanced education and to present a future education model that moves beyond an exam-centered approach.
 [코리안투데이] The Ministry of Science and ICT building © 장형임 기자 |
The competition targets high schools located in seven regions that have until now had no gifted schools: Gangwon, Gyeongnam, Gyeongbuk, Ulsan, Jeonbuk, Jeju and Chungnam. Following a selection evaluation, the Ministry of Science and ICT plans to convert around three of them into gifted schools attached to science-technology institutes. The measure takes into account both balanced regional development and the declining school-age population; the ministry prepared the competition after four rounds of consultation and discussion with local governments and education offices in the target regions from April to July this year.
Gifted schools are designated and established under the 「Gifted Education Promotion Act」 and, unlike general schools governed by the 「Elementary and Secondary Education Act」, are educational institutions with autonomy in academic operations such as a non-grade system and curriculum organization. Eight gifted schools currently operate nationwide, but the Korea Science Academy of KAIST in Busan is the only gifted school attached to a science-technology institute. All of the school’s mathematics and science teachers hold doctoral degrees, and it has earned high marks for supporting university-level advanced education and research activities in partnership with the science-technology institute. This competition seeks to spread such a model to the regions.
Regions wishing to take part must form a joint consultative body comprising the education office (school), the local government and a nearby science-technology institute, and prepare a school operation plan covering the curriculum, school operating structure, financial support and facility development. Applications are submitted to the Ministry of Science and ICT through an official document in the name of the superintendent from August 7 to October 16. Each metropolitan or provincial education office may recommend only one school under its jurisdiction after communicating with the region and school members. Science-technology institutes are matched as UNIST for the southeastern region, DGIST for the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region, KAIST for the central region and GIST for the Honam region, while the three special regions of Gangwon, Jeonbuk and Jeju determine their pairings independently.
Schools designated for conversion will expand advanced education linked with science-technology institute faculty, along with creative research and education (R&E), project-based learning (PBL) and opportunities for experiments and practice using cutting-edge research facilities and equipment. The curriculum is also designed so that, in partnership with regional industry, academia and research institutes, students run research projects on regionally specialized industries and receive entrepreneurship education, gaining experience in exploring and solving real problems at local research and industrial sites. Through this, the ministry expects to nurture creative, convergence-oriented and problem-solving talent to lead cutting-edge science and technology fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology and aerospace.
The selection process will evaluate applicant schools during November on the region’s commitment to conversion as well as school operation and curriculum, narrow the field to around three schools, and then finalize the designation around December following deliberation by the Central Gifted Education Promotion Committee of the Ministry of Education. Converted schools aim to open in March 2029.
Koo Hyuk-chae, First Vice Minister of Science and ICT, said, ‘This gifted-school conversion will not only strengthen the growth pathways for regional talent but also serve as a starting point for our society to newly explore how to cultivate core future talent beyond exam-centered education,’ adding, ‘We will actively support education offices, local governments and science-technology institutes so that they cooperate closely to create a new gifted science education model that drives innovation for both the regions and the nation.’
지역 홍보대사 신청 기자양성과정 신청 코리안투데이 지부장 신청 코리안투데이 인천강화
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