Chungam High School Involved in 'Meal Service Corruption' Transitions to Executive Director System... On Track for School Normalization

Chung-Ahm Academy Under Temporary Board Since 2017 Appoints 8 Regular Directors
Facility Upgrades... Principal Appointed Through Internal Recruitment and New Teachers Hired on Contract

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Chungam Academy, which had its executive appointment approval revoked due to various corrupt practices including school meal fraud, has appointed regular directors.

On the 27th, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced that it received recommendations for regular director candidates from current and former board members and school community members, and after deliberation by the Private School Dispute Mediation Committee on the 24th, appointed eight regular directors.

Chungam Academy is a school corporation operating Chungam Kindergarten and Chungam Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. In June 2017, its corporate executive appointment approval was revoked. Reasons for the revocation included failure to comply with the supervisory authority's orders, neglecting to elect successor executives, dysfunctional school management, tolerating the former chairman's academic interference and abuse of power, illegal board operations, and executive attendance investigations. At Chungam High School, in 2015, the vice principal verbally abused students who did not pay meal fees, and it was discovered that the former principal and former administrative director embezzled 400 million KRW by signing false meal service contracts.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education appointed temporary directors in August 2017 and has been working to normalize school operations. In accordance with the Private School Act, the board was reorganized, and the corporation's articles of incorporation and personnel regulations were revised to establish a democratic school management system. To guarantee students' right to learn, outdated facilities such as classrooms, cafeterias, and fire safety systems were extensively improved and insufficient facilities were expanded. Principals for middle and high schools were appointed through internal recruitment, and new teachers were publicly hired through education office consignment.

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, stated, "A large number of directors recommended through sufficient discussions by autonomous bodies of the school community have been appointed, laying a true foundation for normalization that can operate the school with full consideration of the students and parents who suffered from long-standing internal school issues." He added, "Based on public interest and transparency according to the Private School Act and related regulations, we will actively support and strive for the further development of Chungam Academy."

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