Ministry of Education and Kyochong Begin Main Negotiations... Demand for Teacher Expansion and Redesign of Teacher Evaluation System

Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations Requests Negotiation on 44 Tasks to Ministry of Education

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye (right) and Ha Yun-su, President of the Korea Teachers' Union

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye is entering into formal negotiations with the Korea Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA).

On the 25th, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Eun-hye will attend the opening ceremony for the 2020-2021 first half formal negotiations and consultations held at the Nurihall of the Irum Center in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Since 1992, the Ministry of Education and KFTA have been conducting negotiations to enhance teachers' professionalism and improve their status.

In this negotiation, KFTA has requested negotiations and consultations on a total of 44 articles, including ▲improvement of teachers' working conditions and personnel matters ▲welfare enhancement and treatment improvement ▲establishment of teachers' authority and strengthening professionalism ▲improvement of the educational environment.

KFTA presented key tasks such as increasing the number of teachers to resolve overcrowded classes with more than 20 students per class, establishing a labor attorney system with one labor attorney per school and a labor attorney system for each regional education office, abolishing the current teacher competency development evaluation and redesigning the teacher evaluation system, building an after-school instructor pool, and securing quotas for special education, health, nutrition, and librarian teachers.

At the opening ceremony, KFTA's proposals and the Ministry of Education's positions will be explained, and discussions will be held regarding negotiation methods related to future negotiations and consultations. Both sides will delegate authority to a working-level consultative body composed of about five members each to proceed with negotiations and consultations going forward.

Ha Yoon-su, president of KFTA, said, "Although the academic gap and educational inequality have deepened due to non-face-to-face classes caused by COVID-19, only the transfer of kindergarten and elementary and secondary education is being indiscriminately pushed forward, and schools are in turmoil due to strikes and labor conflicts among educational public officials," emphasizing, "Considering the serious situation, the government’s unilateral and biased policies must be abolished, and a major transformation in education must be undertaken."

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye said, “I consider the opening ceremony of KFTA’s formal negotiations and consultations very meaningful," adding, "I hope that through candid dialogue and communication during this negotiation and consultation process, we will do our best to contribute to the development of education and the improvement of teachers’ rights and interests."

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