Previous Story
PSS, Seoul school district sign exchange program agreement
|
Posted on Aug 17 2004
The CNMI Board of Education and Seoul’s Dongbu District Office of Education signed an agreement yesterday to promote international educational cooperation through exchange visits among teachers and students from both places.
The agreement, signed by BOE chair Roman T. Benavente and Dongbu school district chair Kim Myoung Kyoo, provides that each party will be responsible for arranging educational, cultural, and athletic exchanges between teachers and students.
It also calls for sharing of “old and new teaching methods and curriculum” through meetings, symposia, seminars, and sports competitions.
The agreement provides that each party shall be responsible for its own expenses incurred “as a result of the agreement.”
During the signing ceremony at the BOE conference room on Capitol Hill, Kim said his group values the CNMI as a neighbor.
“There’s a saying that a neighbor can be closer than a cousin,” he said through a translator.
Further, he said that the CNMI is “a very historical place,” citing that Koreans were brought to Saipan in the early days as slaves.
Benavente said he hopes that the relationship between the board and the school district will be fruitful.
“We hope that it will bring more friendship, culture sharing. We hope to have a very good relationship,” he said.
Education commissioner Rita H. Inos said she welcomes DongBu school district’s gesture of friendship.
“We also believe that neighbors are as important as families. It will be your neighbor who will come to you in times of need,” she said.
Gov. Juan N. Babauta, who attended the signing ceremony, said the team’s visit showed the group’s strong commitment to pursue closer relationship with the CNMI.
Kim’s team is set to visit some schools on Saipan as well as Tinian, and possibly Rota.
Kim hopes to lead the first visit of students to Saipan in winter.
