재외동포재단, 각국 한글학교 임원과 간담회 > 자유 게시판

   재외동포재단이 휴교 등 학교 운영에 어려움을 호소하는 전 세계 한글학교협의회 관계자들과 ‘찾동(찾아가는 동포재단) 프로그램’을 통해 간담회를 열었다. 코로나19 장기화에 따른 한글학교 운영 애로사항을 듣고, 지역별 한글학교협의회 활성화 방안 등을 논의하는 자리였다.

  간담회는 지역별 시차를 고려해 3월 15일, 22일, 31일 등 모두 3차례 진행됐다. 북미·중남미·아시아·대양주·유럽·독립국가연합(CIS)·아프리카·중동 등 협의회 임원과 관계자 30명이 참여했다.

  참가자들은 “코로나19 장기화로 휴교 학교가 증가하고 학생 수도 감소하는가 하면, 교사 수급 문제와 방역물품 구입 등 학교 운영에 어려움을 느끼고 있다”며 동포재단의 관심과 배려를 요청했다.

  특히 휴교한 학교가 정상화할 수 있도록 재단과 협의회 간 협력이 중요하다며 “정기적으로 협의회 임원진과 소통하는 자리를 마련해 현장의 목소리를 재단 사업에 반영해 달라”고 요청했다.

  김성곤 재단 이사장은 “어려운 환경과 여건 속에서도 차세대 동포들의 교육을 위해 헌신해 오신 선생님들의 노고에 진심으로 감사한다”며 “앞으로도 협의회와 재단 간 소통을 지속해서 강화하고 한글학교 내실화를 위해 최선을 다하겠다”고 말했다.

OKF News

OKF holds meeting with executives of Korean language schools around the world

The Overseas Korean Foundation on March 3 said the potential location of the 21st World Korean Business Convention (to be held next year) has been narrowed to Dallas and Orange County in the United States. The convention has never been held at an overseas venue before.

As part of the Overseas Koreans Foundation's program "The OKF Comes to You," the foundation held a meeting with staff from the associations of Korean schools around the world who had mentioned difficulties in school management, including school closures. The meeting was held to discuss such difficulties regarding the operation of Korean language schools amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, as well as methods to strengthen the associations of Korean schools in various regions.

In consideration of time zones, the meeting was held three times: on March 15, 22 and 31. Thirty executives and workers of these associations took part from their respective locations in North America, Latin America, Asia, Oceania, Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Africa and the Middle East.

Participants requested the care and consideration of the foundation, stating more schools were suspending operations temporarily and fewer students were attending amid the long pandemic. They also mentioned hardships experienced while running the schools, involving problems such as a lack of teachers and difficulties purchasing pandemic supplies.

They emphasized that cooperation between the associations and the OKF to allow schools to reopen was important. They also requested that a regular meeting with the executives of associations be arranged to reflect pertinent opinions from the field on the OKF's projects.

"I would like to thank all of you for working hard for the education of overseas Koreas of the next generation despite the difficult circumstances," OKF President Kim Seong-gon said. "We will continue to enhance communications between the associations and the foundation, and do our best to strengthen the operations of the Korean language schools."