Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Fully Postpones Enactment of Ordinance to Protect Educational Activities

Seoul City Council Education Committee, Ordinance Bill Not Submitted
Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education "Striving for Prompt Enactment"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has fully postponed the enactment of an ordinance that would allow principals to restrict visitors whose presence disrupts school educational activities.

On the 22nd, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education expressed regret through a press release over the non-submission of the "Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Educational Activity Protection Ordinance" at the 315th regular session of the Seoul Metropolitan Council.

Earlier, in October, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education submitted the "Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Educational Activity Protection Ordinance" to the Seoul Metropolitan Council to foster a human rights-friendly school culture based on mutual respect and cooperation among educational stakeholders. This measure was taken in response to the recent social awareness regarding the protection of educational activities and calls from various sectors of society to establish measures that guarantee both students' right to learn and teachers' right to conduct classes.

The ordinance had undergone written consultation with teachers' organizations in August, legislative notice and prior consultation with related departments in September, and review by the Legal Affairs Committee in October, leaving only the Seoul Metropolitan Council's deliberation pending.

However, on the 19th, the ordinance was not even submitted for discussion at the Seoul Metropolitan Council's Education Committee meeting, leading the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to decide to fully postpone the ordinance's enactment. The Office views the Education Committee's decision as a result of insufficient reflection of social concerns about the seriousness of educational activity infringement and the demands from the educational field for countermeasures.

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, stated, "We will actively communicate and cooperate with the Seoul Metropolitan Council to ensure the prompt enactment of the Educational Activity Protection Ordinance," adding, "The cooperation of the Seoul Metropolitan Council is essential to create an environment where all members of the educational community can feel safe and focus on educational activities."

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