The Hwacheon County in Gangwon Province is expanding its after-school care services for elementary students in the Sahae area.
According to the county on August 18, applications for the after-school care program will be accepted until August 21.
The program is open to 40 students in the 1st and 2nd grades from Sahae, Gwangdeok, and Silnae Elementary Schools. Students must reside in Hwacheon and be able to attend voluntarily.
The after-school care program will run from September 7 until February of next year at the Sahae Youth Cultural Center. It will be open on weekdays from 3 PM to 7 PM, excluding weekends and public holidays.
Classes will be divided into two groups, offering a variety of experiential and educational programs throughout the week, including music, art, physical activities, experimental science, coding, and language.
This initiative aims to reduce gaps in care that often arise after children enter elementary school. The 1st and 2nd graders, whose classes end earlier, have a relatively high demand for care until their parents finish work.
In February 2024, Hwacheon County opened the Hwacheon Community Center, a local government-led all-day care facility for elementary students, providing after-school care and educational programs.
However, students in the Sahae area found it challenging to access the facilities in Hwacheon due to distance and travel time. To address this issue and reduce disparities in care services based on location, the county has established a separate classroom in Sahae.
Operating until 7 PM also aims to alleviate the childcare burden for dual-income and military families. The program combines care with experiential learning in arts, sciences, and digital education, meeting both after-school learning and care needs.
In border areas like Hwacheon, considerations must include the proportion of military families, dual-income households, the broad living area, and access to educational facilities. Providing stable care nearby supports parents' economic activities and helps reduce family relocation due to educational issues.
The county plans to expand this after-school care program into a more systematic educational and care service once the Sahae Education Community Center is built.
Kim Se-hoon, the mayor of Hwacheon County, stated, “Care is both a welfare policy and a settlement policy that encourages residents to stay. We will enhance quality services to ensure satisfaction for parents and children in military and dual-income families.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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