Jeju Students Respond "Human Rights Guaranteed" with Overall Increase in Response Rate

Positive Response Rates Increase Except Among High School Students

Elementary and middle school students in the Jeju area were found to have experienced various human rights violations at school.

The Jeju Provincial Office of Education announced the 2024 Student Human Rights Survey Report on the 17th. The report is based on a survey conducted from September 30 to October 20 last year, targeting 2,722 students (797 elementary, 1,388 middle, 537 high school), 595 school staff members, and 1,009 guardians in the province.

Comparison Table of Awareness on Respecting Student Rights and Human Rights. Jeju Provincial Office of Education

According to the report, the percentage of students who answered that their human rights were guaranteed in school life was 92.3% for elementary students, 89.8% for middle and high school students, 98% for school staff, and 86.7% for guardians. Among middle and high school respondents, 91.1% of middle school students, 86.4% of high school students, 88.1% of female students, and 91.7% of male students answered that their human rights were guaranteed.

Compared to the previous year, the percentage of elementary students, school staff, and guardians who felt their human rights were guaranteed increased by 0.6 to 1.9 percentage points. Middle school students showed a significant increase of 12.1 percentage points. High school students saw a slight decrease of 0.2 percentage points.

However, when asked whether they had experienced at least one human rights violation at school within the past year, more than 40% of elementary students reported having their rights to rest, freedom of expression, a pleasant environment and cultural life, and privacy violated. About 40% of middle school students responded that they had experienced violations of their rights to realize individuality, guaranteed learning rights, and rest. High school students selected experiences of violations of the right to realize individuality (28.7%), the right to rest (27.1%), and student participation rights (24%).

Additionally, some students answered that their human rights, such as the right to be free from all violence, the right not to be unjustly discriminated against, and the right to freely express their opinions, were not respected.

To promote student participation, elementary, middle, and high school students, school staff, and guardians all ranked "providing opportunities without discrimination" as the top priority.

Park Su-nam, Director of the Student Human Rights Education Center, said, "Compared to last year, the overall positive response rate has increased, and reports of human rights violations have decreased. This year, we will support the expansion of a culture that respects human rights by broadening opportunities for democratic decision-making and expression and activating student participation."