Agreement Reached to Form a Four-Party Consultative Body of Ruling and Opposition Parties, Government, and Provincial Education Chiefs for 'Legislation to Protect Teachers' Rights'

Discussion on Measures to Protect Educational Activities
First Meeting Scheduled for Next Week

The National Assembly and the education authorities will form and operate a four-party consultative body to support the legislation for protecting teachers' rights.

On the 11th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho and Kim Cheol-min, Chair of the National Assembly Education Committee, agreed to establish the 'Ruling Party, Opposition Party, Government, and Metropolitan and Provincial Superintendents of Education Four-Party Consultative Body' to support the legislation for protecting teachers' rights.

The four-party consultative body will consist of six members: Deputy Prime Minister Lee, Chair Kim, Lee Tae-gyu, the ruling party secretary of the National Assembly Education Committee, Kim Young-ho, the opposition party secretary of the National Assembly Education Committee, Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, and Lim Tae-hee, Superintendent of Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education.

The consultative body will discuss comprehensive measures to protect teachers' rights in response to the recent decline in teachers' authority triggered by the Seo-i Elementary School incident, and will plan to expedite discussions to ensure that legislative tasks supporting this are promptly advanced.

The main discussion points include preventing infringement on teachers' rights due to indiscriminate child abuse reports, measures to protect teachers and educational activities from malicious complaints by some parents, and legislative discussions on necessary legal amendments to support the restoration of teachers' rights.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Deputy Prime Minister Lee said, “We will respond to the earnest appeals of teachers nationwide who desire a normal educational environment and swiftly prepare the student guidance regulations and comprehensive measures to protect teachers' rights to make this year the inaugural year of 'restoring teachers' rights.'”

Chair Kim stated, “We will actively cooperate to promptly handle legislative tasks that can guarantee teachers' legitimate educational activities demanded in the educational field.”

Deputy Prime Minister Lee and Chair Kim urged teachers participating in rallies every weekend, saying, “The Ministry of Education and the National Assembly will responsibly prepare necessary measures, including legal amendments, so we ask teachers to return to their daily routines and focus on preparing for the second semester and educational activities.”

The consultative body will begin full discussions at its first meeting next week.