Will the Institutionalization of School Administrative Offices Succeed This Time?... Occupational Disagreements Persist

A bill to institutionalize school administrative offices has been introduced in the 22nd National Assembly, following similar proposals in the 20th and 21st Assemblies. However, differences of opinion between teachers, education civil servants, and public officials are surfacing.

According to the National Assembly and other sources on July 9, Kim Moonsoo, a member of the Democratic Party, has proposed an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to establish a legal basis for administrative offices in elementary, middle, and high schools. While the current law requires schools to have 'administrative staff,' there are no regulations regarding the organization of administrative offices. The bill aims to secure professionalism and accountability by providing a legal foundation for these offices. The legislative notice period is open until July 11, and public interest is high, with approximately 29,000 opinions submitted so far.

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Similar bills to institutionalize administrative offices were proposed in the 20th and 21st National Assemblies but failed each time. The discussions did not progress easily due to significant disagreements between teachers and unions representing public officials working in administrative offices. This time as well, after the bill was introduced, the respective organizations issued statements either supporting or opposing it.

Teacher organizations oppose the bill, arguing that it could further ignite occupational conflicts within schools, which are already intensifying. The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union stated, "There are serious conflicts over duties among teachers, education administrative staff, and public officials in schools. However, the core responsibilities of teachers and the scope of duties for education administrative staff and public officials have not yet been clearly defined. In this situation, establishing a legal basis for administrative office organizations could significantly worsen occupational conflicts."

On the other hand, public officials and education civil servant groups believe that institutionalizing administrative offices could lead to improvements in the school educational environment. The National Education Public Officials Union stated, "A school is not a space run by a single occupational group, but an organization built by various members with diverse roles. Establishing clear roles and responsibilities through a legal framework is the foundation for school stability, conflict resolution, and advancement." The Federation of Government Employees' Unions also expressed hope, saying, "Clarifying the standards for establishing, staffing, and operating administrative organizations will resolve confusion at schools and open the way to providing stable educational services to faculty, students, and parents alike."

The Ministry of Education plans to gather opinions from various organizations and institutions before finalizing its stance on the institutionalization of administrative offices. A ministry official explained, "In the case of universities, administrative organizations are legally grounded, but for school administrative offices, some regions have regulations in local ordinances, while others only have rules regarding the position of administrative office heads, resulting in a lack of uniformity. We will coordinate a wide range of opinions from unions and organizations before finalizing the Ministry of Education's position."

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