Crackdown on Unaccredited International Schools... Reports and Investigations if No Corrective Action

Ministry of Education Conducts On-Site Inspections of Unaccredited and Unregistered Educational Facilities

The Ministry of Education has announced that it will conduct inspections of unaccredited and unregistered educational facilities that are, in effect, operating as schools without proper authorization or registration. The ministry plans to take strong action, including filing reports and referring cases for investigation, if corrective measures are not taken.

On April 29, the Ministry of Education stated that it had operated a focused reporting period and conducted on-site inspections of unaccredited and unregistered educational facilities from December of last year through March of this year.

The ministry concentrated its inspections on over 200 unaccredited and unregistered educational facilities. These facilities were found to be collecting high tuition fees without proper accreditation or registration, hiring unqualified teachers, providing education that deviates from social norms or is substandard, and causing harm to students and parents through sudden closures, among other issues.

Based on the results of these inspections, the Ministry of Education and the metropolitan and provincial offices of education will officially notify the facilities of their violations and begin full-scale guidance and supervision to ensure that these facilities take proper legal measures in accordance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and other relevant laws.

First, facilities that can be registered as alternative education institutions will be encouraged to register as soon as possible through registration announcements and consultations. In particular, facilities such as "unaccredited international schools" that are effectively operating as schools without authorization will be fully informed of their legal violations, and if corrective action is not taken, the ministry plans to take strong action such as filing reports and requesting investigations in accordance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

The Ministry of Education and the metropolitan and provincial offices of education will also strengthen support for students and parents who may leave these facilities due to closure or upon realizing that they are unaccredited or unregistered. For those wishing to return to public education, the authorities will provide comprehensive guidance on available educational institutions and the procedures for re-enrollment, including general elementary and secondary schools, alternative schools, and other public education institutions. Additionally, upon returning to general elementary and secondary schools, students will be supported in enrolling in the grade appropriate to their level in accordance with the Enforcement Decree of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the guidelines of each metropolitan and provincial office of education.

To effectively sanction facilities operating as de facto schools without authorization, the ministry is also preparing policy improvements such as the introduction of compulsory fines for violations of closure orders and a system for publicly disclosing legal violations. In addition, the ministry plans to establish legal grounds for systematic inspection and management plans, as well as the installation and operation of reporting centers.

Jang Hongjae, policy chief of the School Policy Office, stated, "Starting with these measures, we will continue to work closely with metropolitan and provincial offices of education to thoroughly manage and supervise unaccredited and unregistered educational facilities that have remained in the legal blind spot."

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