Rep. Koo Jageun: "We Will Continue Securing Funding That Makes a Tangible Difference in Schools"

Gwangpyeong Elementary School Access Road Repairs and Drainage Channel Installation: 175 Million Won
Classroom and Hallway Flooring Replacement at Gwangpyeong Middle School: 212 Million Won
Upgrades to Aging Facilities to Enhance Student Safety

Rep. Koo Jageun of the People Power Party (Gumi A, North Gyeongsang Province) has secured 387 million won in special grants from the Ministry of Education to improve the educational environments at Gwangpyeong Elementary School and Gwangpyeong Middle School in Gumi.

The funding will focus on improving students' safety on their way to and from school and upgrading aging school facilities to create better learning environments.

Koo Jageun, a People Power Party lawmaker representing Gumi Gap, North Gyeongsang Province [Photo provided by the lawmaker's office]

Rep. Koo said he secured 175 million won for paving the access road and installing a drainage channel at Gwangpyeong Elementary School, and 212 million won for replacing the classroom and hallway floors at Gwangpyeong Middle School. The funds were awarded through the Ministry of Education's first 2027 special grant for local education issues.

The access road to Gwangpyeong Elementary School has deteriorated since it was paved in 2003, developing cracks and damage. In some sections, the ground has even subsided, threatening the safety of students and school staff. The road also has no separate drainage facilities, leading to water pooling during rain and concerns about slip-and-fall accidents when it freezes in winter.

The project will repave 1,000 square meters of the access road and install 150 meters of drainage channel.

The aim is to improve recurring water pooling and road-surface damage and provide students with a safer route to and from school.

Gwangpyeong Middle School also urgently needs upgrades to its aging facilities. The classroom flooring, installed when the school was completed in 2008, has worn down and deteriorated over years of use. The flooring's underlying structure has also warped, causing noise when people move around and prompting concerns that it is difficult for students to concentrate during classes and exams. The existing raised flooring in a space used as a table tennis room has also aged, raising concerns about accidents during physical activities.

Gwangpyeong Middle School plans to use the secured funds to replace flooring across a total area of 1,036.8 square meters, including classrooms and hallways. The work will repair damaged floors and reduce noise from movement so students can take part in classes and physical activities in a safer, more comfortable environment.

Rep. Koo said, "The safety of the routes children travel every day and the classrooms where they spend their time must be the first priority when improving educational environments. I hope securing this special grant will ease the difficulties Gwangpyeong Elementary and Middle School students face on their way to and from school and improve their classroom environments."

He added, "I will listen closely to the voices of schools and parents and carefully work to secure the funding needed to improve Gumi's educational environment. I will also monitor the progress of the projects to ensure the funding is spent as planned and students can experience tangible improvements."

The significance of this special grant lies in addressing safety issues on the routes students travel every day and in their classrooms, rather than funding larger-scale education projects.

The next challenge is to ensure the funding leads to actual construction and facility improvements that students and parents can see and feel, rather than stopping at securing the budget.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.