Yoon Takes a Firm Stand on 'Strengthening Teacher Authority,' Orders "Establishment of Ministry of Education Notices and Revision of Local Ordinances" (Comprehensive)

President-led Chief Secretary Meeting Emphasizes Educational Authority
Pressure to Amend Student Human Rights Ordinance Expected to Increase

President Yoon Suk-yeol instructed on the 24th to prepare a Ministry of Education notice focused on strengthening teacher authority while simultaneously pushing for revisions to local ordinances that encourage violations of teacher rights.

This move is interpreted as a response to recent incidents following the death of an elementary school teacher in Seoul, including cases of students assaulting their homeroom teachers and parents verbally abusing teachers, which have sparked demands for protecting teacher rights and revising student rights ordinances.

On the morning of the same day, at a senior secretaries meeting presided over by President Yoon at the Yongsan Presidential Office, he ordered the establishment of a Ministry of Education notice related to strengthening teacher authority and the promotion of revisions to local ordinances, according to a written briefing by presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon.

President Yoon emphasized, "Since the revision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and its enforcement decree, adopted and promoted as a national agenda to strengthen teacher authority by our government, has recently been completed, promptly prepare the Ministry of Education notice, which serves as a concrete guideline for frontline schools."

He also urged, "In consultation with the ruling party and local governments, simultaneously promote revisions to unreasonable local ordinances that infringe on teacher authority."

The National Assembly amended the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in December last year to strengthen student life guidance authority, including physical sanctions and separation measures in cases of teacher rights violations.

The Ministry of Education also announced in December last year the "Measures to Prevent and Strengthen Response to Educational Activity Infringement," which includes recording serious class disruptions in student records, and last month revised the enforcement decree of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (Presidential Decree) to allow teachers to discipline and correct students.

With President Yoon mentioning revisions to local ordinances on this day, pressure is expected to increase to amend student rights ordinances currently enforced in various cities and provinces.

Student rights ordinances, which have been promulgated and enforced by each city and provincial education office starting with the Gyeonggi-do Office of Education in 2010 to promote student rights within schools, have faced criticism for excessively infringing on teachers' legitimate educational activities, making revisions urgent.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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