Community contributes 8.5 million won... All sixth-graders at Seogwipo’s Yerae Elementary School to take part in exchange with Taiwan

【Financial News Jeju = Reporter Jeong Yong-bok】 All 17 sixth-graders at Yerae Elementary School in Seogwipo City will take part in an international exchange with an elementary school in Taiwan, supported by the local community and the education office. The initiative is drawing attention as an example of a village community supporting educational opportunities at a small school, allowing an entire grade to participate together rather than limiting overseas exchange to only some students because of the cost.
According to Yerae Elementary School on the 15th, the Yerae Resort Complex Development Committee visited the school the previous day and presented an 8.5 million won development fund for the sixth-graders’ international exchange activities.
The school will use a total of 28.5 million won for the international exchange program, combining the development fund with 20 million won from the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Office of Education.
All 17 sixth-graders are eligible to participate. They will visit Taiwan from November 16 to 19 on a four-day, three-night schedule and interact with students from Chaoyu Elementary School.
The program focuses on educational activities between the schools rather than simply providing an overseas experience. Before visiting Taiwan, the students will first connect online. During the visit, they will take part in a school tour, joint educational activities and cultural experiences. They will also share information about their respective local cultures, living environments and ecosystems.
Yerae Elementary School’s effort to incorporate local characteristics into the international exchange is also notable. The students will introduce the natural environment and culture of Jeju and the Yerae area, where they live, and learn by comparing them with the living conditions and environment of the area where the Taiwanese students reside. The program places greater value on meeting peers from another region in person, explaining and understanding each other’s living spaces, than on the overseas trip itself.
The support is also meaningful because the village community outside the school is sharing the cost of the students’ educational activities.
The necessary funding for the international exchange was secured through 20 million won from the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Office of Education and an additional 8.5 million won from the Yerae Resort Complex Development Committee.
By including all 17 sixth-graders rather than selecting only some participants, the program can help reduce disparities in access to international exchange opportunities based on families’ financial circumstances.
Although a small student population can pose limitations in operating the curriculum, small schools also have the advantage of making it easier for an entire grade to participate in a single project. This international exchange will likewise be conducted so that all students in one grade share the same educational experience.
Yerae Elementary School plans to link the online exchange with the local school visit so that the program does not end as a one-time event. The students will get to know one another in advance, carry out joint educational activities on site, and then connect their exchange experience with the school curriculum.
Seong Byeong-ju, chairman of the Yerae Resort Complex Development Committee, said, "We find it meaningful that the local community can help provide Yerae Elementary School students with an opportunity to experience a wider world and understand diverse cultures through international exchange. We hope this support will serve as a stepping stone for the students to gain a variety of experiences and broaden their dreams."
Lee Bong-hwa, principal of Yerae Elementary School, said, "Thanks to the interest and support of the local community, our students now have an opportunity to communicate with the world and gain diverse experiences beyond the boundaries of their school and community. We will expand educational activities that support students’ growth together with the village and develop their global citizenship competencies through international exchange."


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