Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon Superintendents Discuss Need for Revision of Private Institute Act

Metropolitan Superintendents' Meeting Held on October 15
Discussion on Specialized Teachers for Basic Academic Skills, Revision of School Violence Act, and More
"7-Year-Old Notification" Private Education, Need for Disciplinary Provisions in the Private Institute Act
"Level Tests for Preschool Admissions Must Be Prohibited"

The Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon Metropolitan Offices of Education held discussions on October 15 to seek solutions to declining basic academic skills, school violence, and issues related to private education, such as the "4-Year-Old and 7-Year-Old Notification."

On this day, Seoul Superintendent Chung Geunsik, Gyeonggi Superintendent Lim Taehee, and Incheon Superintendent Do Seonghun held the 6th Metropolitan Superintendents' Meeting, where they discussed: ▲ the introduction of a system for teachers specializing in basic academic skills, ▲ research for institutionalizing future-oriented integrated schools, ▲ revision of the Private Institute Act to prevent excessive private education, ▲ revision of the School Violence Act to strengthen mediation and arbitration functions, and ▲ response measures to anti-Chinese protests and bomb threats targeting schools.

Source=Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education

First, the superintendents agreed on the need to actively consider introducing a "specialized teacher for basic academic skills" system to systematically address the increasingly diverse and complex issues surrounding basic academic skills. They explained that the Basic Academic Skills Guarantee Act should be revised to establish legal grounds for staffing, qualifications, and training, and that a customized learning support system tailored to student characteristics should be strengthened. They also stated that amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Education Finance Act are needed to secure sufficient teaching staff and budgets in line with policy demands.

Regarding future-oriented integrated schools, all agreed on the need to improve the relevant system. In areas with declining populations, the operation of integrated schools will inevitably increase, so there is a need to establish a flexible and efficient school management system.

The need for disciplinary regulations under the Private Institute Act to address the problem of excessive private education was also discussed. The superintendents said that preliminary level tests for preschool admissions and advertisements that may violate human rights should be legally prohibited, and that disciplinary provisions should be established to sanction advertisements that induce pre-learning, in accordance with the Public Education Normalization Act.

The meeting also noted the increasing number of minor cases being referred to the School Violence Deliberation Committee and administrative appeals. The metropolitan superintendents decided to continue supporting schools so they can heal conflicts independently and restore their educational functions. They also said that the School Violence Prevention Act should be promptly revised to support work related to mediation and arbitration, and to allow principals to implement "relationship restoration programs" at their discretion for minor cases of school violence.

Finally, regarding the spread of social hate speech, such as anti-Chinese protests, and bomb threats targeting schools, which threaten student safety, the metropolitan offices of education agreed to strengthen joint responses and establish a system for prevention and response support.

The metropolitan superintendents agreed to continue strengthening cooperative systems to realize national policy tasks and enhance educational autonomy, focusing on the issues discussed at this meeting, and to actively propose legal and institutional improvements to the Ministry of Education and other relevant agencies through the National Council of Superintendents of Education.

Superintendent Chung Geunsik stated, "Going forward, together with the superintendents of Gyeonggi and Incheon, the metropolitan offices of education will serve as the center of public education innovation, striving to create schools where all students can receive learning and care appropriate to their developmental stages and grow independently."

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