Empowering Parents: Incheon Education Office Launches 2026 School Participation Support Program

[iNews24 Reporter Kim Do-eun]

On March 24, the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education held a training session for about 500 parent representatives from schools across the city in the Information Center’s main conference room as part of the 2026 Parent School Participation Support Project.

The training aimed to strengthen parents as central actors in school education by empowering them to lead initiatives from planning through implementation and to explore new directions for parent-led autonomous activities.

The program included sharing examples of parent-led school participation, presenting institutional collaboration models that connect schools with local communities, and a special lecture by a sitting vice principal on strategies for organic collaboration between schools and parents.

The Incheon office plans to integrate three programs—the parent association, fathers' clubs, and play clubs—starting this year to boost the effectiveness of parent policies and maximize synergy among activities.

It will also provide differential funding of up to 2,000,000 KRW (approximately 1,500 USD) per school to encourage innovative parent-led activities, and will increase administrative and financial support so each school's autonomous initiatives can thrive.

An Incheon education official said, “We will spare no on-the-ground, field-based support so parent communities can work closely with schools and carry out dynamic educational activities.”