Daegu and Nationwide Teachers' Unions Demand Teacher Input in School Care Policies

On the 7th, Care Workers' Union Blocks Agreement Between Ministry of Education and National Assembly... Joint Statement Demands Resumption of 'All-Day Care Act' Process

Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye and Yoo Ki-hong, Chairman of the National Assembly Education Committee, are holding an emergency meeting with representatives of the National School Irregular Workers Solidarity Conference (Hakbi Solidarity) at the Educational Facilities Disaster Mutual Aid Association in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the 7th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] On the day before the announced strike of elementary school care workers, the Ministry of Education, the National Assembly, and the Care Workers' Union urgently agreed on the direction of 'legislation of school care.' In response, the Teachers' Union has stepped in to demand the establishment of education policies that reflect teachers' opinions.

Most teachers' unions nationwide, including the Daegu Teachers' Union, issued a joint statement on the 9th titled "We ask the Minister of Education and the Chairperson of the National Assembly Education Committee," demanding that their opinions be reflected, stating, "Today's education policies, stained by employment logic and focused on immediate problem-solving, do not include the core elements of education such as student happiness."

The unions said, "Although the Ministry of Education and the National Assembly have declared that they will gather opinions from all stakeholders in setting the direction of care policies, the Ministry of Education is trying to establish and expand the role of care, which belongs to the childcare domain, within schools, the education field," and questioned, "Does the Minister understand the difference between education and childcare?"

They expressed concern, saying, "The expansion of care operations means an increase in the proportion of childcare-related projects within the education budget. As the share of the care budget grows, the absolute amount of financial support available to all students in schools decreases."

The Teachers' Union stated, "Nowadays, schools have to vacate classrooms, which are spaces where teachers perform their duties, due to care classrooms and after-school programs, and sometimes teachers are burdened with care duties beyond their educational responsibilities," and asked, "Does the Minister have the will to improve the working environment for teachers?"

They also urged the Chairperson of the National Assembly Education Committee, saying, "At yesterday's meeting, the Chairperson declared efforts to legislate care workers along with the establishment of school care. Is the Chairperson aware of the teachers' duties and the school's roles as specified in the bill?" and demanded the resumption of the 'All-day Care Act,' which includes cooperation between local governments and schools.

The joint statement included participation from teachers' unions in Daegu, Gangwon Province, Gyeongbuk Province, Daejeon City, Busan City, Sejong City, Incheon City, Jeonnam Province, Jeonbuk Province, Jeju, Chungnam Province, Chungbuk Province, and the National Special Education Teachers' Union.

Meanwhile, the Care Workers' Union, representing care workers working in elementary school care classrooms, agreed on the 7th, a day before their second strike, through a closed meeting with the Ministry of Education and the National Assembly Education Committee, to prepare measures to improve school care operations by the first half of next year. Previously, the Care Workers' Union held a first strike on the 6th of last month in opposition to moves to transfer school care to local governments.