Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Education, "The National Education Committee's First Step Was Misguided"

Expressing Opinions on Chairperson Selection and Committee Formation
"It Would Have Been Better if the Chairperson Had Coordination Skills... The Starting Point of Misunderstanding"
Free Snacks to Be Provided in Elementary After-School Care Classrooms Starting March Next Year
Opposition Expressed to the Superintendent Running Mate System

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, described the National Education Commission launching on the 27th as "feeling like the first button was fastened incorrectly."

At a press briefing held at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on the 26th, Superintendent Cho said, "I hope the awareness of creating a space for coexistence would be reflected in the selection of the chairperson and the composition of the committee members, but in reality, that does not seem to be the case."

The National Education Commission is a presidential advisory administrative committee responsible for gathering and coordinating public opinions on mid- to long-term education policy directions such as the national curriculum and college entrance systems. Superintendent Cho participates as an ex officio member in his capacity as the president of the National Association of Metropolitan and Provincial Superintendents of Education. The commission consists of 21 members in total, and it will launch with two vacancies in the seats recommended by teacher organizations.

Even before its launch, concerns about ideological conflicts are high as more than half of the members are clearly partisan figures. The chairperson of the National Education Commission, Lee Bae-yong, former president of Ewha Womans University, appointed by the president, participated in the state-issued history textbook policy during the Park Geun-hye administration, and other members also show distinct political colors or partisanship depending on their recommending institutions.

Superintendent Cho said, "It would have been better if the chairperson had been someone with coordination skills," adding, "If the chairperson has a particular image amid existing educational conflicts, that could be the starting point of misunderstandings. That is not good for the new government either."

He further stated, "If the National Education Commission becomes another arena of educational conflict, there is no need to go through the trouble of creating the system and investing the budget. The Democratic Party led the enactment of the National Education Commission Act, and the People Power Party government is completing the composition and managing its operation. I hope they can find common ground by leveraging each other's strengths."

Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education decided to provide free snacks in the initial care classrooms starting from March next year. A budget of 25.5 billion KRW will be invested. Snacks will be provided once to 4,100 children participating in care until 5 p.m., and twice to 1,500 children participating from 5 to 7 p.m. The cost per snack is set at 2,500 KRW.

Superintendent Cho also expressed his position on the decision by the Association of Metropolitan and Provincial Superintendents of Education to form a special committee to respond to the local education finance grant and the reform of the superintendent election system.

He said, "The special account for higher education is like taking a stone from the bottom to support the top, and I question whether this is an effective solution," adding, "Not only for early childhood, elementary, and secondary education but also for higher and lifelong education, financial resources should be actively secured to establish a balanced investment and a rational education finance reform plan."

Regarding the political circles' proposal to introduce a running mate system between metropolitan/provincial governors and superintendents as an alternative to the direct election of superintendents, he expressed opposition.

He explained, "The method where a gubernatorial candidate nominates a superintendent candidate as a running mate is inappropriate. Education policy would be immediately influenced depending on the nominee's intentions, as the nominator has the authority to replace the nominee at any time," adding, "From the perspective of political neutrality in education, party affiliation is an unwritten rule, and the running mate system inevitably entails partisanship depending on whom one allies with."

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