On the 31st, Ministry of Education, Ministry of National Defense, and Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education sign agreement
"Transparent and sound school management through conversion to autonomous public high school"
Hanmin High School, a private boarding high school in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, established to improve the educational environment for children of military personnel, will be converted into an autonomous public high school.
On the 31st, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education signed a business agreement at the Korea Educational Facility Safety Institute for the conversion of Hanmin High School into an autonomous public high school (referred to as "Jagogonggo"), officially launching the "public conversion" initiative for Hanmin High School.
Hanmin High School was founded to support the stable academic progress of military children who face challenging educational environments due to frequent relocations and school transfers. However, in September, the National Assembly raised concerns over "private school corruption" at Hanmin High School, which was established with 85 billion won of public funds.
Criticism was raised over the fact that, despite being established with government funds, the school was operated as a private institution, resulting in a lack of oversight and subsequent accounting and personnel issues.
As calls for the "public conversion" of Hanmin High School grew, the government appears to have taken a more proactive approach.
Following the signing ceremony, Hanmin High School will proceed step by step with the procedures required for conversion to an autonomous public high school.
An official from the Ministry of Education stated, "Since Hanmin High School has been a private school, it will go through procedures such as the closure of the private school, dissolution of the private school foundation, enactment of an ordinance to establish a public school, establishment approval, and designation as an autonomous public high school," adding, "It is expected that the conversion process will take about two to three years to complete."
Hanmin High School. The Asia Business Daily DB
However, there are considerable concerns at the school regarding the conversion of Hanmin High School into a public institution.
Hanmin High School has produced a large number of students who go on to top universities in Seoul and has been recognized by students and parents for its strong college admissions record. Amid the push for conversion to a public high school, some students and parents are reportedly concerned about a potential decline in the quality of educational programs.
The Hanmin High School faculty association recently stated in a position paper, "In an internal survey, 98% of staff members opposed the public conversion." They pointed out that there has been insufficient disclosure of information or collection of opinions from teachers, parents, and students during the push for public conversion.
The Ministry of Education, Ministry of National Defense, and Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education announced plans to actively communicate with students, parents, and staff throughout Hanmin High School's conversion process, and to ensure stable learning environments for students and secure working conditions for staff members.
Minister of Education Choi Kyojin said, "I hope Hanmin High School, as it becomes an autonomous public high school, will continue to provide a high-quality education for military children while achieving greater transparency and sound management. We will work closely with the Ministry of National Defense and the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education to fully support students, parents, and staff so that everyone can confidently prepare for a new future."
Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-baek stated, "Once Hanmin High School is converted into an autonomous public high school, the legality of the school's status will be resolved, and the transparency and public nature of school operations will be further strengthened. By consistently implementing policies for other autonomous public high schools for military children, such as Yeongcheon High School, which will open sequentially starting next year, we expect to achieve a synergistic effect among these policies."
Gyeonggi Provincial Superintendent Lim Taehee expressed his expectations, saying, "Through the conversion of Hanmin High School into an autonomous public high school, we will strengthen the public nature and accountability of school operations and provide students with a stable educational environment, thereby enhancing not only the school's competitiveness but also its external reputation and credibility."
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