Large-scale gatherings give way to small neighborhood workshops — 68 parents took part across four zones
School facilities, education programs and local support needs discussed — pond restoration at Ansan Elementary approved
Instead of gathering parents in a single large-scale event, Seodaemun-gu has begun holding small neighborhood conversations where residents can discuss local education issues close to home. The district is collecting parent feedback through zone-by-zone workshops and channeling suggestions from those sessions into school environment improvements and education support.
Seodaemun-gu said it held the "2026 Seodaemun Parent Partner Zone Outreach Workshop" across four neighborhood zones from Sept. 8 to Sept. 29, gathering input from 68 parents on school facilities, education programs and the local learning environment.
The workshop series was designed to move away from the conventional large-scale format and instead hear specific support needs from each residential area. Because conditions vary from school to school and neighborhood to neighborhood, the sessions gave parents a nearby venue to raise concerns about their children's school life and flag the education support they need.
The four sessions were organized by zone: Yeonhui-dong, Hongjae 1-dong and Hongjae 2-dong; Hongjae 3-dong, Hongeun 1-dong and Hongeun 2-dong; Nam-gajwa 1-dong, Nam-gajwa 2-dong, Buk-gajwa 1-dong and Buk-gajwa 2-dong; and Chunghyeon-dong, Cheonyeon-dong, Bukahyeon-dong and Sinchon-dong. Seodaemun-gu District Mayor Park Un-gi and local city and district council members attended each session to hear parents' views.
Parents proposed support measures tailored to their schools, including facility upgrades and education program improvements. They also discussed community issues directly affecting their children and families, such as building a library and installing heated road surfaces.
Each session included a tour of nearby education and cultural facilities. Participants visited key facilities and programs at a local youth rest center, the Seodaemun-gu Lifelong Learning Center and Convergence Talent Education Center, the Gajaeeul Youth Center and the Sinchon Culture Power Plant, giving parents a firsthand look at community resources available to their children.
One suggestion from the sessions has already led to a concrete support decision. At the first workshop, parents raised concerns about the pond at Ansan Elementary School, which had lost its function — the basin could no longer retain water, leaving a dried-out floor overgrown with weeds and dirt. After reviewing the request, the district approved an education expense subsidy for repairs. Ansan Elementary plans to demolish the existing pond floor and lay a new waterproof lining in October to restore it to working condition.
Other feedback will be assessed for necessity and feasibility through reviews by relevant departments, school-by-school needs surveys and consultations. Items requiring support this year will be evaluated for funding in line with the education expense subsidy plan and related procedures.
In October, the district will continue its outreach with on-site visits to individual schools under a "School Field Communication Forum." Officials will hear about each school's education situation and key issues, and confirm facility improvement and education support requests from schools and parents. Findings will be reviewed and incorporated into the 2027 education expense subsidy project plan.
"Every school has different support needs, and the inconveniences parents notice in daily life differ as well," Seodaemun-gu District Mayor Park Un-gi said. "Based on what we hear on the ground, we will direct the education budget where children's school lives need it most."
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