Gyeongbuk Superintendent of Education Lim Jong-sik: "Strict Response to Infringements on Educational Activities" ... Announces 'Comprehensive Plan for Restoring the Educational Community'

On the 30th, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education announced a comprehensive plan for the restoration of the educational community to foster a warm Gyeongbuk education based on mutual respect.

On September 15, a ‘Pledge Ceremony for the Restoration of the Educational Community,’ where students, parents, and teachers commit to mutual respect and understanding, will be held as a starting point to guarantee educational activities and learning rights. Efforts will focus on preventing any infringement on educational activities.

Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of Gyeongbuk Office of Education.

This comprehensive plan includes the operation of a civil complaint response team, expansion and relocation of the Teacher Healing Support Center, operation of an emergency support team for teacher rights protection, and responses to indiscriminate child abuse reports.

When operating the civil complaint response team at schools, educational counseling and special complaints will be handled separately to preserve the educational functions at school sites while minimizing damage caused by malicious complaints. Various materials such as complaint handling manuals will be developed and distributed to support schools.

The Teacher Healing Support Center, currently located at the Gyeongbuk Office of Education in Andong, will be relocated to the Gyeongbuk Office of Education Training Institute in Gumi. A dedicated supervisor for teacher rights will be assigned to enhance professional expertise. After the revision of the Teacher Status Act, which has been proposed to the National Assembly, Teacher Rights Protection Committees will be established and operated at education support offices.

Additionally, the existing Teacher Safety Number Service will be expanded to all schools in the Gyeongbuk area. From 2024, related budgets will be allocated in the basic school operation expenses so that all schools can operate the service according to their circumstances, and telephones equipped with recording functions will be distributed to all schools.

In cases of infringement on educational activities, the ‘Emergency Support Team for Teacher Protection’ consisting of 299 members organized across 22 education support offices in the Gyeongbuk region will provide counseling, treatment, and legal support depending on the situation upon school requests.

In particular, when separating infringing students, plans will be established for managing separated students through securing space and expanding personnel at school support centers to ensure that the burden does not fall on the affected teachers.

To minimize damage from indiscriminate child abuse reports, the ‘Emergency Support Team’ will provide legal counseling and respond to special complaints. Before deciding on suspension due to the initiation of child abuse investigations, a consultative body composed of experts will be formed to gather opinions and apply suspension requirements more strictly.

Superintendent Lim Jong-sik of the Gyeongbuk Office of Education stated, “The restoration of teacher rights can be achieved through mutual respect and cooperation among all members of the educational community. We will focus on preventing infringements on educational activities, and in cases where such infringements occur, we will strive to protect affected teachers and respond strictly to ensure that educational activities and learning rights at schools are safeguarded.”