All 95 schools in city to participate; playgrounds, gyms among facilities to be opened
Siheung signed a written MOU Monday with the Gyeonggi Siheung Office of Education, the Siheung City Sports Council and all 95 elementary, middle and high schools in the city to expand public access to school facilities.
The agreement is designed to allow schools and the broader community to work together in opening school grounds for residents' recreational activities and neighborhood programs.
Siheung's school facility-sharing initiative began in August 2022 with 52 participating schools. The number grew to 85 in 2024, and this year all 95 schools in the city — including newly established ones — have joined the agreement, extending the program to every school in the district.
Under the MOU, participating institutions will cooperate to expand and sustainably manage access to facilities such as playgrounds and gymnasiums, provided school education activities and student safety are not disrupted. Siheung City plans to provide operational funding to schools based on the scope of access they offer, easing the management burden that comes with opening their facilities.
The agreement also carries significance as a local implementation of Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education Superintendent An Min-seok's "Break the Wall" policy, which aims to lower barriers between schools and their surrounding communities and encourage shared use of school facilities.
Siheung Mayor Lim Byung-taek previously served as chair of the "Break the Wall" subcommittee of the transition committee for the Gyeonggi education superintendent, where he worked on ways to strengthen cooperation between schools and local communities.
Through the MOU, schools will receive support to manage the added responsibilities of opening their facilities, while residents will gain convenient access to playgrounds and gymnasiums near their homes for recreational sports and community activities.
"This agreement carries great meaning because every school in the city has come together with one purpose," Mayor Lim said. "We will build a sustainable facility-sharing system that reduces the management burden on schools while giving residents easy access to nearby sports spaces — allowing schools and the community to grow together."
Residents with questions about using the facilities are advised to contact the relevant school directly.
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