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Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, announced plans to make it mandatory to establish special classes in all public and private schools in Seoul when needed.
On the afternoon of the 18th, Superintendent Cho met with reporters at a restaurant in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and said, "On the occasion of Disability Day (April 20), I hope that all public and private schools in Seoul will be required to create special classes when necessary," adding, "We are currently conducting a full survey."
He continued, "Currently, there are places requesting the establishment of special classes. About 70% of public schools and 2% of private schools," and explained, "We have the determination to proceed without exception if there is a demand through the survey."
When asked about specific methods, he said, "There is no disagreement between the ruling and opposition parties about clearly including mandatory provisions at the ordinance level," adding, "While formalizing it at the ordinance level, active cultural acceptance should be achieved."
On the same day, Superintendent Cho also refuted the political pledge made during the general election to attract a specialized high school to the site of Seongsu Technical High School. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education had announced last year that it would establish Seongjin School, a special school for the physically disabled, on the site of Seongsu Technical High School in Seongdong-gu, which is scheduled to be closed. He stated, "I firmly say that the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has no plans to consider alternative sites for special schools," and added, "We will proceed with the establishment according to plans and procedures so that special school students can attend schools nearby without having to travel far."
Superintendent Cho also pointed out the need for alternatives regarding the government's policy to abolish the 'school site contribution fee,' saying, "The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will have to cover 100 billion won from local education finance grants."
He said, "I don't think this (school site contribution fee) should be abolished wholesale," adding, "It might be possible to distinguish between small-scale and large-scale development areas rather than abolishing it all at once."
Last month, the government announced at the 23rd Emergency Economic and Livelihood Meeting that it would abolish 18 types of fees, including the school site contribution fee. President Yoon Suk-yeol explained, "For example, in line with the recent trend of decreasing demand for new schools, the school site contribution fee will be abolished."
Currently, under the Special Act on Securing School Sites, developers of projects with more than 100 households are required to pay a contribution fee amounting to 0.8% of the apartment sale price to secure school sites and expand school facilities. If this is exempted, more costs will have to be invested when building or expanding schools than now.
According to data submitted by the Ministry of Education to Kang Deuk-gu of the Democratic Party of Korea on the 8th, 8 out of 9 places where the school site contribution fee was imposed are schools located in Seoul.
Regarding the Neulbom School project promoted by the Ministry of Education, he said, "From the second semester, facilities will be greatly expanded so that there is no burden on the school, and the issue of personnel placement will be a key point," adding, "We plan to reduce the administrative burden on teachers perfectly." He further explained, "We are reviewing whether to hire Neulbom teachers as fixed-term contract workers or as permanent public employees."
Regarding the progress of his trial, he said, "I have currently submitted a statement of reasons for appeal and proposed a constitutional review," adding, "I feel wronged and am making every effort." Superintendent Cho was prosecuted for unfairly specially hiring five dismissed teachers from the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (JeonGyoJo) and was sentenced to a suspended prison term in the second trial following the first trial.
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