To address the challenges of declining school-age populations and regional extinction, 43 areas designated as 'Education Innovation Leading Areas' will begin operations in January 2027. This initiative follows the previous 'Education Development Special Zones' program, shifting focus from a broad array of projects to essential tasks such as 'restructuring small schools' and 'linking elementary, middle, high schools with universities and local industries.'
On November 3, the Ministry of Education held a briefing at the Government Seoul Building to announce the results of the 2027 Education Innovation Leading Areas designation. During the application period from July to September, 130 out of 141 eligible regions (89 in Type 1 and 41 in Type 2) submitted proposals, representing a competitive response rate of 92.2%.
After thorough evaluations, the Ministry of Education and the Education Innovation Leading Areas Committee selected a total of 43 regions: 32 in Type 1, aimed at areas experiencing population decline, and 11 in Type 2, targeting general local governments outside the capital region and bordering areas. Selected regions will receive special grants, with basic local governments receiving up to 2 billion won annually (approximately 1.9 million USD next year) and metropolitan governments up to 4 billion won annually (approximately 3.7 million USD next year) for a maximum of five years, subject to performance evaluations.
Breaking the Taboo of School Consolidation
In the Type 1 application category for population decline areas, 89 out of 94 eligible regions applied. Initially, the Ministry planned to select around 30 areas, but due to the close scores of the 30th, 31st, and 32nd ranked regions and the high willingness of local governments to innovate, the committee expanded the selection to 32 areas.
Type 1 includes regions such as Yeoncheon County in Gyeonggi Province, Ongjin County in Incheon, and Gunwi County in Daegu, along with seven areas in Gangwon Province, six in Jeonnam and Gwangju, four in Jeonbuk, four in Gyeongbuk, three in Chungnam, three in Gyeongnam, and two in Chungbuk.
A key feature of Type 1 is the emphasis on 'innovation and appropriate scaling of small schools,' a topic previously avoided due to community resistance. Approximately 69% of the selected Type 1 regions, or 22 areas, included plans for 'school consolidation' in their proposals.
For instance, in Geumsan County, where 10.4% of middle school graduates move to high schools in other regions, the plan includes not only consolidating elementary schools but also long-term integration and restructuring at the middle and high school levels. To support this, a proposed 'Geumsan Education Innovation Support Center' will provide transportation, instructor resources, and budget support.
In Goheung County, where 66% of elementary students are concentrated in two out of 17 schools, a model has been proposed that combines three educational zones, allowing teachers to collaboratively design regular curricula and conduct team teaching and joint evaluations.
However, concerns have been raised about how to address potential backlash from parents and local residents regarding school consolidation in many of the selected Type 1 regions.
In response, Minister of Education Choi Kyo-jin acknowledged that there were concerns from local activists about the potential for forced school consolidations. He clarified that the Ministry is not mandating restructuring but allowing regions to autonomously decide how to save schools facing closure. The strategy aims to overcome the socialization challenges of small schools through nearby transportation for younger students and combined classes for older students, while providing financial incentives for communities that choose consolidation.
Differences from Previous Education Special Zones
In Type 2, which targets general local governments outside the capital region, 11 areas were selected, including eight basic local governments such as Yangju City in Gyeonggi Province, Chuncheon City in Gangwon Province, Eumseong County in Chungbuk, Asan City in Chungnam, Wanju County in Jeonbuk, Gumi City in Gyeongbuk, Jinju City in Gyeongnam, and Gwangyang City in Jeonnam, along with three metropolitan governments: Busan, Daegu, and Gwangju.
Type 2 focuses on 'reducing educational disparities within regions' and 'strengthening education linked to universities and industries.'
Eumseong County has divided its area into five regions to design projects that connect schools in urban and rural areas, while Busan is establishing multicultural elementary schools and 'glocal middle schools' to provide tailored pathways for vocational and general high school students.
There is significant interest in how the new 'Education Innovation Leading Areas' differ from the previous 'Education Development Special Zones,' which concluded their three-year pilot program this year. While some areas like Yangju City transitioned from special zones to leading areas, others that did not succeed in this application may face disruptions starting next year.
Lee Kang-bok, the Director of the Education Autonomy Support Division, explained that while the previous special zones allowed local governments to propose projects freely, the new leading areas have designated essential tasks tailored to local conditions, such as small school innovations in declining regions and addressing educational disparities in urban areas.
Concerns have been raised about whether an annual budget of 2 billion won (approximately 1.9 million USD) will suffice for meaningful innovation. However, Jang Hong-jae, the Director of School Policy at the Ministry of Education, stated that additional funding will come from school consolidation support and investments in multi-purpose facilities on closed school sites, along with local matching funds. The program is designed to solidify models over three years and expand results over two years, with evaluations focused on providing consulting rather than eliminating underperforming projects.
The Ministry plans to designate additional areas next year to support existing education special zones and unselected local governments.
Ryu Jang-su, Chair of the Education Innovation Leading Areas Committee, emphasized that the selection process for Type 2 metropolitan governments strictly evaluated the feasibility and thoroughness of project plans without considering connections to other national projects. He noted that there is already a deep-rooted connection between primary and secondary education and local universities and anchor companies.
The Ministry will finalize the designated regions after an appeals process this month and refine operational plans through expert consultations by December, with funding to commence in January.
Minister Choi stated, 'If primary and secondary education is the starting point for local residency, then the connection between universities and jobs is the driving force for sustainable residency.' He emphasized the goal of creating a virtuous cycle where children learn and settle in their birthplace by closely integrating the Education Innovation Leading Areas model with policies for nurturing local talent and scholarships for balanced regional development.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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