Busan Office of Education Establishes and Implements Comprehensive Plan to Protect Educational Activities

Focus on Creating a Protection Foundation for Educational Activities... Various Policies Established

Operation of Regional School Rights Committee and Legal Support Team by Education Support Office

The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education is accelerating efforts to establish a foundation to protect educational activities and learning rights at schools.

The Office of Education has established and is set to fully implement the ‘2024 Comprehensive Plan for the Protection of Educational Activities’ to safeguard teachers' educational activities.

Reviewed by the City Teacher Rights Protection Committee on the 21st, this plan encompasses matters related to the revision of the Enforcement Decree of the ‘Special Act on the Improvement of Teachers’ Status and Protection of Educational Activities,’ as well as newly established and improved systems by the Busan Office of Education to protect educational activities.

The Busan Office of Education formulated the plan focusing on ▲establishing and operating a foundation for protecting educational activities ▲supporting teacher healing and recovery ▲cultivating a culture of protecting educational activities.

The main contents of this comprehensive plan include the ‘Establishment of Regional Teacher Rights Protection Committees at Education Support Offices,’ ‘Operation of the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education Legal Support Team,’ ‘Establishment of Teacher Protection Mutual Aid,’ and ‘Prior Application System for Parent Visit Consultations.’

Starting from the 28th, deliberation and resolution of cases involving infringement of educational activities occurring in kindergartens, elementary, middle, high, and special schools will be handled by the ‘Regional Teacher Rights Protection Committees at Education Support Offices.’

Previously, these matters were deliberated and resolved by school teacher rights protection committees but have now been transferred to the Education Support Offices. This change aims to have specialized committee members deliberate and resolve educational activity infringement cases, allowing schools to focus on educational activities.

This legal body is based on Article 18 of the ‘Special Act on the Improvement of Teachers’ Status and Protection of Educational Activities Amendment,’ and can be composed of 10 to 50 members, including one chairperson, with subcommittees formed as necessary.

The ‘Busan Metropolitan Office of Education Legal Support Team’ will expand its support scope beyond tailored legal assistance for teachers affected by infringements of educational activities to include ‘handling malicious complaints,’ ‘consulting support for resolving educational activity infringement cases at individual schools,’ and ‘consulting on the operation of Regional Teacher Rights Protection Committees at Education Support Offices.’

The ‘Teacher Protection Mutual Aid’ expands support for accidents occurring during teachers’ educational activities. While previously only legal disputes and medical expenses were supported, the scope has been broadened to include ▲support for handling educational activity infringement cases ▲liability insurance for damages ▲costs for damages to educational activity materials ▲teacher litigation costs ▲and medical expenses.

The ‘Prior Application System for Parent Visit Consultations,’ which began full implementation on the 1st, is operated to foster a culture of mutual respect between teachers and parents. Parents can apply for visit consultations through the methods announced by the school via home correspondence or text messages.

Superintendent Ha Yun-su stated, “Protecting educational activities is the duty of the Office of Education,” and added, “Going forward, our Office of Education will do its utmost to create a safe environment for teachers to focus on their educational activities and to cultivate a culture of mutual respect within the educational community.”

Busan Metropolitan Office of Education.

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