Passage of Amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Early Childhood Education Act, Teacher Status Act, and Framework Act on Education
On the 21st, the National Assembly passed the 'Four Acts to Restore Teachers' Authority' to guarantee teachers' legitimate educational activities.
On the same day, the National Assembly held a plenary session and passed amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Early Childhood Education Act, the Teacher Status Act, and the Framework Act on Education. This measure was taken in response to the legislative necessity raised to restore the collapsed teachers' authority following the death of a teacher at Seoi Elementary School. The Four Acts to Restore Teachers' Authority were discussed through a four-party consultative body consisting of Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, Lim Tae-hee, Superintendent of Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, Kim Cheol-min, Chair of the National Assembly Education Committee (Democratic Party), and the ruling and opposition education committee secretaries, Lee Cheol-gyu of the People Power Party and Kim Young-ho of the Democratic Party. After several intense debates in the Education Committee, a bipartisan agreement was reached. After passing the Education Committee on the 15th, the bill cleared the Judiciary Committee and was brought to the plenary session.
The amended Teacher Status Act prohibits the dismissal of teachers without just cause when they are reported for child abuse and mandates the submission of the Superintendent of Education's opinion during related investigations and inquiries. Additionally, it prohibits school principals from minimizing or concealing acts that infringe on educational activities, and if attempts to minimize or conceal are made during the reporting process, disciplinary action requests are included. The Minister of Education is required to establish a comprehensive plan every five years to protect teachers' educational activities, and the Superintendent of Education must establish and implement an execution plan.
Instead of the School Teachers' Authority Protection Committee, the amendment includes provisions to establish a 'Regional Teachers' Authority Protection Committee' within the Education Support Office.
Furthermore, the types of 'acts infringing on educational activities' will be expanded to include general criminal offenses such as obstruction of official duties and false accusation, as well as malicious complaints. Anyone who becomes aware of acts infringing on educational activities must report immediately, and even without a request from the victimized teacher, if the infringement is deemed subject to criminal punishment, the competent authority may file a criminal complaint. The amendment also provides grounds for the immediate separation of the perpetrator and the victimized teacher and establishes the basis for implementing mutual aid projects to protect teachers.
Participants are shouting slogans at a National Assembly legislative urging rally for the restoration of public education. [Image source=Yonhap News]
The Framework Act on Education clearly stipulates the obligation of parents and guardians to cooperate with and respect the school's legitimate educational activities. The Early Childhood Education Act specifies that teachers' legitimate guidance of young children is not considered a prohibited act under the Child Abuse Prevention Act and prohibits guardians from infringing on the human rights of staff or other students. Additionally, the kindergarten principal is made responsible for handling complaints related to educational activities.
The amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act also stipulates that teachers' legitimate student guidance is not considered a violation of the Child Welfare Act's prohibited acts.
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