[Q&A] Cho Hee-yeon "Innovation Schools Misunderstood as Academic Decline... 'Educational Public Workers' Require Social Discussion"

Placement of Basic Academic Support Teachers in All Elementary and Middle Schools
Operation of 'Raenseon Yagak' with University and Middle School Students Together

Selection of 50 AI Leading Schools and University Tuition Support
300,000 KRW Admission Preparation Fund for 1st Year Middle and High School Students

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, delivers a New Year's address via video at the 2021 opening ceremony held at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 4th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will assign basic academic cooperation teachers to all public elementary schools and public and private middle schools to reduce the educational gap caused by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) and restore the middle tier of learners.

On the morning of the 5th, Seoul Superintendent of Education Cho Hee-yeon held an online New Year's press conference and announced this year's major education office plans containing these details.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will build an integrated remote learning platform and operate a 'Lan Line Night School' where university students and middle school students participate together using real-time interactive video tools. Fifty elementary, middle, and high schools will be operated as AI (Artificial Intelligence) education leading schools, and 300,000 KRW per student will be provided as entrance preparation funds for first-year middle and high school freshmen. Additionally, eco-friendly free meals will be expanded to all schools within Seoul, including elementary, middle, high, special, and various other schools.

Below is a Q&A session between Superintendent Cho and education office officials.

▶ How are the cooperative instructors assigned to each school selected?

= (Kang Yeon-heung, Director of Education Policy Bureau) They may be selected through a school principal recruitment process and deliberation by the school operation committee. We will design this process more precisely and guide schools accordingly. If there is demand for 1 to 3 more instructors per school, we plan to provide sufficient support. The principle is to assist during classes. It is not about separating students. The goal is to support students who are falling behind or struggling to keep up with the progress alongside the subject teacher, so they do not lag behind. While holding a teaching certificate is the principle, those with specialized degrees or practical experience are also eligible. Community cooperative instructors or after-school teachers can also participate. It is not about gathering students with low academic performance for separate instruction.

▶ There is significant distrust regarding academic decline in innovation schools that have been introduced for 10 years.

= (Superintendent Cho) The misunderstanding about academic decline is based on past views of academic achievement. Currently, there are about 240 innovation schools, approaching 1,300 in total. I see the current criticisms not as a crisis of failure but as a crisis of success. It is a new challenge due to scale expansion. The core principles of innovation schools are democracy and instructional innovation. Democratic school culture is becoming generalized in Seoul's education policy. Also, classes that foster dynamism and self-directedness through learning processes such as reading discussion education and debate-style classes on social issues are being conducted. Innovation schools have their strength in pioneering programs. Furthermore, we need to expand toward digital instructional innovation and AI-based instructional innovation. Innovation has inspired our education policy and innovative education. It has become generalized and must advance to the next level.

▶ A bill to regularize educational public service workers is being prepared.

= There is conflict among school members. Since democratization, the education system has aimed to allow various school members to have autonomy and dynamism and to express their voices. Therefore, public service workers have become respected members of schools rather than peripheral figures. We need to create schools where mutual cooperation occurs at a higher level. While pursuing individual interests, they must cooperate and optimally divide labor for children's education. Rather than immediately making a bill, we should discuss the spirit of the bill within the family. I hope there will be social discussions and a process to consider concessions for children's education.

= (Kwon Seong-yeon, Director of Planning and Coordination Office) On the 31st of last month, a provisional agreement was reached with the Seoul School Irregular Workers Solidarity Conference (Hakbi Solidarity) regarding retirement pensions. According to the provisional agreement, 60% of their retirement pensions will be converted to DB type (defined benefit), and the remaining 40% will be maintained as DC type (defined contribution).

▶ When will the Seoul remote learning support platform be available, and does it overlap with the Ministry of Education's platform?

= (Superintendent Cho) The remote learning platform called 'New Saem' allows real-time interactive classes. Currently, it is in the pilot stage, so many schools have not yet joined. It will be equipped with a domestic video tool and stably support the learning management system. Previously, integrated management across platforms was difficult, but now this is possible. Even if the Ministry of Education sets a basic plan, it will take 3 to 4 years to implement.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.