1st School for Multicultural Children Planned Around Seoul

A school for children from multicultural households will be established in the Seoul metropolitan area, a civic organization said yesterday.

A committee to set up multicultural schools led by the group Jiguchon Sarang Nanum (Sharing Love in the Global Village) announced a plan to set up an international school for multicultural children up to elementary level around the capital.

Co-chaired by former Health, Welfare and Family Affairs Minister Kim Soung-yee and ruling Grand National Party lawmaker Shin Sang-jin, the committee will open the school with a dormitory for 350 children from multicultural families by 2011.

The construction cost of five billion won (4.2 million U.S. dollars) will be financed through contributions from organizations and individuals.

If the school obtains government permission, education for the children at the school will be officially recognized.

Lee Sun-hee, vice president of the organization, said, “We seek permission from the government but prospect are not bright,” adding, “If we fail, we will set up an alternative school.”

The school will provide a tailored education to meet the needs of multicultural children. While most of the classes will be conducted in Korean, the school will also teach in the languages of the children’s parents to help communication at home.

Efforts will also go to fostering multicultural children as experts on certain languages.

The committee said students will get free education for six years since most of them are from low-income households.

firedy@donga.com