Seoul's Dongdaemun-gu is joining forces with its residents to build what it calls an "education city where children thrive."
The district is conducting an online survey to gather public input on how to direct next year's school education expense subsidies, with the goal of strengthening public education and putting the needs of students and families first.
The survey, titled "Public Satisfaction with Education Expense Subsidy Support," runs from Aug. 3 through Sept. 30.
The survey was launched to collect a wide range of views from students, parents, school staff and general residents, with the aim of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the 2027 academic year education expense subsidies.
The survey measures how satisfied residents are with existing education support programs and how well those programs are working in schools. It also invites open-ended responses on which areas of education should be newly introduced or prioritized for expansion in 2027. Residents can participate from a smartphone or computer by scanning a QR code — no in-person visit required.
What sets Dongdaemun-gu's survey apart is that the results feed directly into actual budget and policy decisions. Last year's survey drew more than 1,400 participants, with 93 percent of respondents saying they were satisfied with the district's education support. The most commonly cited reasons were the variety of learning opportunities provided and the reduction of out-of-pocket costs for families.
Drawing on that feedback, the district shaped this year's programs around the top priorities identified for each school level: literacy reinforcement for elementary school students, mental and emotional support for middle schoolers, and college entrance and admissions support for high school students. To ease the financial burden on families, the district also expanded subsidies for overnight field trips and self-directed evening study sessions, and continued backing in-school five-minute reading programs and school athletic teams.
Beyond the classroom, the district runs a range of hands-on programs to broaden students' experiences outside school — local community field activities, ecology and sports education, and university department visits.
Dongdaemun-gu has allocated a total of 17 billion won ($12.1 million) in education expense subsidies for this year under its education expense subsidy ordinance, channeling the full amount directly into schools.
The district plans to expand the subsidies again next year. It aims to get ahead of the revised five-tier internal grading system and broader university admissions reforms, with the goal of reducing private tutoring costs for families while strengthening students' academic and future-ready skills.
"No one knows our children's school environment better than the students, parents and residents who live it every day," Dongdaemun-gu District Mayor Choi Dong-min said. "I ask all residents to take an active interest and participate in this survey so we can develop education programs that are truly tailored to Dongdaemun-gu — programs that every family can fully relate to and be satisfied with."
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