Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do – The Gyeongsangnam-do Office of Education (GOE), under the leadership of Superintendent Park Jong-hoon, officially opened the Western Hub-type Multicultural Education Center on June 24th. The ceremony, held at the South Wing of Jinju Dodong Elementary School, embraced the theme of "Diversity Together, Society Living Together" and featured a congratulatory performance by the Jinju Dodong Elementary School 'Dagachi Orchestra', underscoring the collaborative spirit of the initiative.

The newly established center, a four-story facility housed in a renovated section of Jinju Dodong Elementary School's South Wing, is meticulously designed to provide tailored educational support for students from diverse backgrounds. It encompasses eight specialized classrooms, including dedicated spaces for Korean language instruction, childcare, preparatory multicultural education courses, and mother tongue classes.

This pioneering center is set to offer comprehensive Korean language and multicultural preparatory education programs to students of immigrant backgrounds within the western Gyeongsangnam region. Beyond weekday instruction, the center plans to host a variety of community-integrated programs on weekends, such as mother tongue classes, workshops on multicultural understanding for parents, and professional development training to enhance the multicultural competency of educators.

Superintendent Park Jong-hoon emphasized the GOE's commitment to fostering an inclusive educational environment. "Through close collaboration with regional stakeholders, we are dedicated to ensuring that students from immigrant backgrounds can thrive in a stable and systematically supported educational setting," Superintendent Park stated. He further affirmed the GOE's resolve to "realize the values of independence and coexistence, striving to cultivate an educational environment where every individual is respected." The GOE's broader educational policy, which underpins this initiative, focuses on customized support for multicultural students across all developmental stages, aiming to unlock their full potential and integrate them into society as global talents. This integrated approach, extending beyond mere language acquisition to foster self-esteem and a sense of belonging, is viewed as a model with potential for wider adoption nationwide.

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