▲ 2023 문해교육 졸업식 사진  © 대전평생교육진흥원

“초등학교에 다니다 말고 남의 집 심부름꾼으로 들어가 어렵게 이발 기술을 배워 평생을 살았어요. 못 배운 티가 날까 봐 손님들 대화에 끼지도 못하고 조심스레 지내다가, 나이 여든에 이발소를 그만두고는 그렇게 하고 싶었던 공부를 시작했어요. 입학 첫날 주뼛거리며 교실에 들어온 일이 엊그제 같은데 벌써 졸업이에요.”

홍재흥(82) 어르신은 어려운 집안 형편으로 소년가장이 되어 가족들의 생계를 책임져야 했다. 살림살이는 나아졌지만 배움을 중단한 사실이 80년 인생 동안 마음 한켠을 무겁에 짓누르고 있었다. 

하지만 배움을 시작하면서 모르면 모른다고 이야기하는 용기가 생길 정도로 스스로 당당해지고 자존감도 높아졌다고 한다. 

그는 이제 행복교실에서 꿈에 그리던 초등학교 졸업장을 받고 중학교에도 진학할 예정이다. 

대전평생교육진흥원(원장 최선희)은 14일 오전 원내 컨퍼런스홀에서 초등학력인정 성인문해교육 프로그램인 ‘행복교실’ 졸업식을 개최했다고 밝혔다. 

이날 졸업식에서 설동호 대전시교육감은 50대부터 80대의 만학도 34명에게 초등학력 인정서를 수여했다.   

진흥원에 따르면 이날 졸업장을 받은 행복교실 졸업생 중에는 80대가 4명이고, 중학교 진학 예정자가 25명으로 상급학교 진학률이 증가하는 추세라고 밝혔다. 

한편, 초등학력인정 성인문해교육 프로그램은 성인들에게 초등학력 취득 기회를 제공하는 평생교육 프로그램으로, 1년간 초등 3단계(5·6학년) 과정을 이수하면 초등학력 졸업장이 주어진다. 

*아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도를 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.>

Daejeon seniors celebrating the best day of their lives in 80 years...

Daejeon Lifelong Education Promotion Agency, ‘34 seniors’ graduated with elementary school education recognized

“After going to elementary school, I went to work as an errand boy at someone else’s house and learned the art of barbering with great difficulty, and lived there for the rest of my life. I was cautious and couldn't participate in customer conversations for fear of being seen as uneducated. When I was 80, I quit my job at the barbershop and started studying, which is what I wanted to do. “It seems like only yesterday that I entered the classroom on the first day of school, but I am already graduating.”

Hong Jae-heung (82) had to become the head of the household and take responsibility for the livelihood of his family due to difficult family circumstances. Although his living conditions improved, the fact that he stopped learning weighed heavily on his mind for the past 80 years of his life.

However, it is said that as he started learning, he became confident in himself and his self-esteem increased to the point where he had the courage to say that he did not know something.

He has now received the elementary school diploma he dreamed of at Happy Classroom and plans to go on to middle school.

Daejeon Lifelong Education Promotion Agency (President Choi Seon-hee) announced that it held a graduation ceremony for ‘Happy Class’, an adult literacy education program that recognizes elementary school education, at the conference hall in the hospital on the morning of the 14th.

At the graduation ceremony on this day, Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Seol Dong-ho awarded certificates of elementary school education to 34 full-time students in their 50s to 80s.

According to the Promotion Agency, among the Happy Classroom graduates who received their diplomas on this day, there were 4 in their 80s and 25 who were scheduled to enter middle school, indicating that the rate of students moving on to higher schools is on the rise.

Meanwhile, the Adult Literacy Education Program Recognizing Elementary Education is a lifelong education program that provides adults with the opportunity to acquire elementary education, and a diploma of elementary education is given after completing the third level of elementary school (grades 5 and 6) for one year.