By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
Seoul City will build up a continuing education infrastructure by 2014, opening four lifelong learning centers as well as the Seoul Center for Continuing Education.
"The lifelong education project will help more citizens to make the most of their ability without the burden of educational expenses," Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said. "Four citizens out of 10 in Seoul are going to be in continuing education by 2014."
Among OECD countries, an average 36 out of 100 adults continued to learn in one form or another irrespective of their level of formal education in 2000 and 38 out of 100 among European Union countries in 2008. Seoul aims to raise the rate to 40 from the current 29 in five years.
The city plans to earmark 63 billion won ($55 million) for the lifelong education project.
To benefit more citizens through lifelong education, Seoul will construct three or four continuing education centers on the sites of former public institutions when they move out. Total floor space for the centers will be around 12,000 square meters.
The lifelong education centers will house learning facilities such as lecture rooms and auditoriums as well as online broadcasting and information systems to provide integrated education using both online and offline materials. It also will map out general programs and other services.
Seoul Center for Continuing Education, an affiliate of the University of Seoul, will increase the capacity from the current 2,500 citizens per year to around 30,000.
Established in 1997 as an open university for Seoulites, the center currently offers only 77 courses in four lecture rooms at its campus located near the Cheonggye Stream.
"Currently, the lifelong education center mostly provides basic courses, but new courses will include professional areas such as taxation and law," a city official said.
Each of the 25 districts will manage continuing education programs in cooperation with universities in the district. Designated universities will provide lifelong education courses for local residents and office workers.
Seoul City will reinforce online continuing education as well. The Cyber Learning Center will provide learning materials through the Internet, while a call center will aid individuals. It will build an online map with addresses of lifelong educational institutes and organizations in the city.
In addition, the city will operate customized lifelong education programs such as housewives' childcare and vocational training, and courses helping multicultural families become adjusted to Korean life.