CEART Report (KFTA, Korea)
Status of Teachers in Korea: Current Issues & Trends
The structure of Korean educational administration consists of the central government
(Ministry of Education and Human Resources), local government (Metropolitan and Provincial
Offices of Education), and each local school. Currently the power and responsibility has largely
been transferred to the local government and schools from the central government, but still
some key authority is centralized.
Teacher includes kindergarten teachers, elementary teachers, secondary teachers, viceprincipals, principals, and professors. In this group the national and public school teachers are
civil servants (educational civil servants).
In Korea the sufficient recruitment of teachers, professional ability of teachers, and working
conditions has improved. However, controversial issues and urgent problems still exists over
teacher training, teacher salaries, activity in teacher’s organizations, academic freedom, tenure
for teachers, collegiate governance, and private schools or institutions. This report discusses
related issues, focusing on the current situation, urgent problems, and trends.
1. Teacher Shortage and the Recruitment of Unqualified Teachers
In Korea, elementary school teachers are trained at 11 national education universities that
include Korea National University of Education and Ewha Womans [sic] University elementary
education department. Secondary school teachers are educated at 40 national and private
education colleges, educational related departments, and several education graduate schools.
Secondary school teachers develop through education related departments (36.3%), teaching
certificate programs in college (36.3%) and graduate schools of education (12.3%). The
employment rate is as <Table 1>.
<Table 1> Secondary School Teacher’s Education and Employment
(Unit: Person, (%))
Education
Employment
Employment
Education
Teaching
Education
Related
Certificate
Graduate
Department
Program
School
Year
Rate
National & Public Private
Total
Total
School
1
School
(%)
2001 12,464(45.4) 11,523(41.9)
3,485(12.7)
27,472
2,465
1,770 4,235
15.4
2002 14,972(51.8) 10,289(35.6)
3,649(12.6)
28,910
7,077
1,770 8,847
30.6
2003 13,918(51.9)
9,579(35.7)
3,342(12.5)
26,839
6,717
1,610 8,327
31.0
2004 15,395(57.0)
8,581(31.8)
3,040(11.3)
27,016
5,467
1,914 7,381
27.3
Total 56,749(51.5) 39,972(36.3) 13,516(12.3) 110,237
21,726
7,064 28,790
26.1
There exists strong competition to enter teacher education institutes. Between 2004 and 2005,
the competition rate for teacher education institutes applications increased. Moreover there is a
need to get high level of college scholastic aptitude test (CSAT) score to enter the education
college. Especially, CSAT score of students who apply universities of education (for being
elementary school teachers) and national education colleges (for being secondary school
teachers) are remarkably high. The teaching profession has become more popular because
teachers can get stable position and social recognition.
While attending 4 years in education colleges or education universities, ‘minimum curriculum
standard’ consists of 42 credits for major and 20 credits for teaching curriculum. Students need
to get 140~150 credits to graduate 4-year study course. In addition a teaching practice of 4~6
weeks in an elementary or secondary school is a must.
Even though there is no study at a formal education college the students who finish the
teaching certificate program earn a teaching license (2nd level regular teacher). Students who
finish a teaching certificate program are recommended by the deans of the colleges that have a
teaching certificate program. The deans have special authority from the education and human
resources department to grant teaching licenses to a limited number of students. Teachers who
enter teaching certificate programs of non-education colleges are quite numerous. However the
number of students in the teaching certificate program is limited to 10% of all students and a
high GPA is needed to earn a teaching license.
The graduate school of education functions as a training institute for in-service teachers, but
several graduate schools of education with teaching certificate programs issue teaching
licenses if students finish designated curriculums. In the case of the graduate school, students
who major in the same subject in undergraduate school are only entitled to applying the
teaching certificate program.
Most elementary school teacher graduates are employed while only 7,000 secondary school
teachers of 27,000 teachers are employed. The employment backlog is a problem that is
increased by the excessive supply of secondary school teachers from teaching training
institutes. It is expected that the number of elementary and secondary school students will
decrease and the demand for teachers will also decrease. In spite of the current situation, the
current excessive supply of secondary school teachers is an inefficient policy at both the
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national and personal aspect. To solve problems concerned with the supply of teachers a
reduction and reorganization of the number of teacher training institutes is needed. At the same
time a decrease in the student per teacher ratio is needed to improve Korean educational
conditions. The decrease in the number of students per class and increase in teachers is
expected to improve the educational conditions related with teachers on a par with the OECD
average.
In Korea the number of elementary and secondary school teachers has reached 380,000. To
retain, train and maintain these human resources is the core of the teacher policy. Political effort
is needed to develop the professional ability of teachers and retain qualified teachers through inservice teacher training, working performance evaluation, promotions, and transfer, rotations. To
realize this a comprehensive teacher evaluation system is needed that focuses on the
professional ability of teachers. The current discussion is to decide how to reward teachers with
incentives based on evaluation results.
A controversial issue is how to deal with teachers who have low performance ratings, are
unqualified, and set an unprofessional public image. The needs to be system to decide who
should get special training or be rooted out. As part of these efforts a support and management
system is planed for unqualified teachers as discussed by the Ministry of Education and Human
Resources and Presidential Committee on Education Innovation.
In Korea all of teachers must have teaching license and the professional ability is trained
through continuous education. To be promoted to vice principal or principal, a teacher should
take an intensive training course and get a related license. No one without teaching license can
work as a teacher in a school. Instead of voluntary teachers, part time teachers are hired
temporarily, as an example a one day voluntary parent teacher or parent volunteer exists to
help with student traffic safety.
2. Teacher Salaries
The remuneration for Korean teachers includes salaries and fringe benefits. Salary is the
basic wage that made up of basic salary, allowance for duties and allowance for long-service
requirements. Fringe benefits are additional remuneration is composed of 5 kinds of special
bonuses; family allowance, special regional allowance, special duty allowance, and overtime
allowance, the subdivisions work out to 15 kinds of allowances in total. Only relevant teacher
are allowed to claim the allowances.
Provisions for teacher remuneration are stated in the Act 46 of Civil Servants Act. According
to the provisions, "the remuneration of a civil servant should consider the general livelihood
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costs and remuneration level of a comparable private profession, and be determined according
to position to accommodate the difficulty and responsibility of the job. This should be determined
in a way that promotes overall balance among/between career public servants and special
career public servants."
Some critics say that public educational personnel or teacher remuneration should be
separated from the comprehensive civil servant remuneration policy and be determined
independently recognizing the uniqueness and professionalism of the teaching profession but
this view is not widely accepted yet.
The current remuneration scheme categorizes teachers into three different groups;
primary/secondary teachers, 2-year college professors, and 4-year university professors.
Kindergarten, primary, and secondary teachers are affected by a Single Salary Scheme,
which equally pays the teachers with equivalent academic backgrounds, careers, and
qualifications regardless of positions and school ranking. Remuneration for most teachers is
subdivided into steps, which usually progresses one step a year to reach the highest level in
thirty years. There are ten additional steps after the maximum level to reward teachers
according to the total teaching years. Teachers see remuneration increase each year during a
40-year teaching career. Teachers from education colleges or universities are given "time
advantages"; two years are given to be included in the career in the case of primary teachers
and one year for secondary teachers.
2006 salary scale for educational civil servant including kindergarten, elementary · secondary
school teacher and collage faculty is referred to in table 2 and table 3.
<Table 2> 2006 salary scale for educational civil servant including kindergarten,
elementary · secondary school teacher and collage faculty (Monthly)>
(Unit : Korean Won, ($))
Salary Class
Salary Amount
Salary Class
Salary Amount
1
694,000 (746)
21
1,405,500 (1,511)
2
717,700 (772)
22
1,461,000 (1,571)
3
741,700 (798)
23
1,516,300 (1,630)
4
765,500 (823)
24
1,571,600 (1,690)
5
789,600 (849)
25
1,626,800 (1,749)
6
813,500 (875)
26
1,682,200 (1,809)
7
837,100 (900)
27
1,740,200 (1,871)
8
860,900 (926)
28
1,798,100 (1,933)
9
885,000 (952)
29
1,858,500 (1,998)
10
911,500 (980)
30
1,919,200 (2,064)
4
11
937,500 (1,008)
31
1,979,800 (2,129)
12
964,100 (1,037)
32
2,040,400 (2,194)
13
1,012,300 (1,088)
33
2,101,900 (2,260)
14
1,060,600 (1,140)
34
2,163,300 (2,326)
15
1,108,900 (1,192)
35
2,224,900 (2,392)
16
1,157,400 (1,245)
36
2,286,200 (2,358)
17
1,205,400 (1,296)
37
2,339,700 (2,516)
18
1,255,600 (1,350)
38
2,393,300 (2,573)
19
1,305,600 (1,404)
39
2,447,000 (2,631)
20
1,355,500 (1,458)
40
2,500,500 (2,689)
Note: * To part time teachers of kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high schools, fixed salary
is applied and the salary scale is not more than the 14th grade.
* The number in (
) is the amount from which Won is converted into US dollar. (1$=930\ as of
2006. 5. 8)
Private school teachers are paid the same rate as national or public school teachers under
the single national remuneration education service remuneration policy. Overall teacher
remuneration falls far below that of high military officials or employees of leading private
companies. Few teachers complain than expected about the remuneration partly due to a
relatively stable job security that ensures tenure till age 62 and the high social reputation. The
remuneration of teachers typically reaches the highest point at the retirement age of 62. After
retirement, they can receive 76% of the average salary of the last 3years work as a monthly
annuity.
The actual amount of teacher remuneration puts Korea among the top OECD countries. It
should be noted that Korean teachers face a more demanding working environment that
includes a class overload, and large class size, compared to those of other nations.
<Table 3> College and University Professors’ Remuneration
(Monthly Pay, Unit : Korean Won)
Salary
Salary
College
University
Class
College
University
Class
1
831,300
909,600
21
1,728,700
1,887,700
2
864,100
941,200
22
1,790,700
1,949,100
3
896,900
972,800
23
1,852,600
2,029,100
4
929,800
1,004,400
24
1,914,600
2,109,000
5
962,700
1,036,200
25
1,976,700
2,188,700
5
6
995,400
1,071,100
26
2,038,700
2,268,700
7
1,029,900
1,106,200
27
2,116,300
2,348,500
8
1,064,700
1,141,500
28
2,194,000
2,428,500
9
1,099,200
1,194,000
29
2,271,400
2,489,500
10
1,133,800
1,246,800
30
2,349,200
2,550,700
11
1,182,800
1,299,500
31
2,404,200
2,611,800
12
1,231,800
1,352,200
32
2,459,200
2,672,800
13
1,280,900
1,404,700
33
2,514,400
2,734,000
14
1,330,000
1,457,300
34
2,569,700
15
1,378,700
1,518,900
35
2,624,700
16
1,436,400
1,580,500
Extra 4
2,948,700
3,074,500
17
1,494,000
1,641,900
Extra 3
2,990,400
3,127,000
18
1,551,600
1,703,200
Extra 2
4,034,000
19
1,609,000
1,765,600
Extra 1
4,265,000
20
1,666,800
1,826,200
Note: An extra step 1 applies to the president of a 4-year college or university and extra step
2 to the president of an education college. The head of professional colleges or schools that
provide equivalent education service as college education is eligible for an extra step 3 while
the president of schools equivalent of professional colleges and universities are paid according
to an extra step 4.
A problem with the current teacher remuneration scheme is that it is implemented as part of
remuneration policy for general public servants that does not give due respect to the
uniqueness and professionalism of the teaching profession. Besides, despite the provision that
ensures advantages to teachers, there is no difference between teachers and other civil
servants in real terms; insufficient reward for masters and/or doctorate degree education and
relatively low salary level compared with those of other professional jobs and private employees.
Other problems include the fixed monthly salary system which undermines the effectiveness of
allowance payments as an incentive, and the shortage of qualified teachers and class overload
that make quality education more difficult.
To address these problems, the Korea Federation of Teachers Association (KFTA) has
worked to establish new remuneration provisions exclusively for teachers and a reasonable
remuneration scheme; to adjust promotion years; to convert the single salary scheme to a
matrix-type scheme; to replace the fixed-amount allowance system with a more reasonable one
based on fixed rates linked to salaries. It is also to secure the statutory number of qualified
teachers, enact a standard number of classes a week, improve treatment, and working
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conditions of non-regular teachers. This is to be done through collective bargaining and
consultations with the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development.
Remuneration for private college and university teachers is largely higher than that of national
or public university professors. Even among public colleges and universities, the remuneration
differs according to the number of students and the size of school project funds.
3. Consultations with Teacher organizations
Current Article 15 of Basic Law on Education states “Teachers can make a cooperative effort
for educational development and cultural activity and establish a teacher’s organization at the
central and local area level for improving the socio and economic status of teachers.”
At present, there are 3 teacher related organizations in Korea; KFTA (Korean Federation of
Teachers’ Associations) a professional organization, KTU (Korean Teacher’s & Education
Worker’s Union) and KUTE (Korean Union of Teaching and Education Workers) a teachers’
union.
The KFTA has made efforts to improve teachers’ socio and economic status protect teachers’
authority and rights during last 60 years. These achievements have contributed to Korean
education.
The KTU which had been started as a temporary organization was made legitimate in July,
1999 through democratic movements of the late 1980s. With legitimacy of the KTU, the KUTE
was established and era of multi teachers’ organizations was started. Currently, 74.2% of all
380,000 elementary and secondary school teachers belong to teacher’s organization (See Table
4).
Both of the KTU and KUTE are affiliated with trade union for laborers; KTU is under the KCTU
(Korean Confederation of Trade Union) and KUTE is under FKTU (Federation of Korean Trade
Union),
The KTU and KUTE is evaluated that they made a big contribution to establish
democratization in school education, improve teacher’s authority, protect teacher’s rights, better
educational condition and give better treatment for teachers.
And KFTA and KTU and KUTE shows militant activity for expanding each organization’s
influence, struggling for transparency and getting popularity. Especially, teachers’ unions in
Korea frequently cause complications with the government by keeping their educational and
teacher-related policy under indiscriminate improper equalitarianism principle which is quite
different from parents’ and national opinion.
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<Table 4> Teacher’s Organizations in Korea
Classification
Number of Members
Establishment Date
KFTA
KTU
KUTE
90,000
25000
1947. 11. 12
1999. 7. 1
1999. 7. 1
Basic Law on
Teacher Union
Teacher Union
Education
Law
Law
167,000
Legal Basis
Source: Ministry of Labor, Trade Union and its Internal Data and Current Situation, 2003. 6
As reaction against their activities, the Liberal Teachers’ Union is in stage of quickening. It is
reported by media that the Liberal Teachers’ Union is extremely against the KTU’s position.
In university, there is also professor’s organization as a form of trade union, but professor’s
organization still remains discrete organization and does not act out vigorous activity
considering skeptical voice from the nation with questions of ‘Professors are truly laborer?’
In case of teachers’ organization, the right of association and collective bargaining is legalized,
but strike, sabotage and all other industrial actions which hinders regular duty are completely
prohibited (Act on Establishing and Managing Teacher Union Article 8). Nonetheless, teacher
trade union exercises collective action rights and executive members of some teacher’s
organization are punished by the government.
Based on ‘Special Act on Improving Teacher’s Position’, as profession organization for
teachers the KFTA bargains regularly with Ministry of Education and Human Resources at the
central level and local teacher associations also bargain with each local government. The rage
of bargaining and negotiation includes improving teachers’ treatment, working condition, welfare
and professional ability. The KTU and KUTE also carry out collective bargaining on the basis of
‘Act on Establishing and Managing Teacher Union’ and the rage of bargaining includes teacher’s
social economic status such as salary, working condition and welfare.
Table 5 shows differences between the KFTA (professional teacher’s organization) and
teachers’ union (trade union) in legal basis on establishment, membership, negotiating partner,
negotiation structure, and range of negotiation.
<Table 5> Comparison between Teachers’ Organization and Teachers’ Union
Classification
Teacher’s Organization (KFTA)
Teacher’s Union (KTU, KUTE)
° Act
Legal Basis
° Basic
Law on Education
Teacher’s Union
°
Membership
° All
Teachers (including principals)
on Establishing and Managing
Teacher whom elementary and
secondary education law article 19
clause 1 prescribes (except vice-
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principal and principal)
Concerning party
° Education
° Education
and Human Resources
and Human Resources Minister,
(negotiation
Minister, superintendent of schools,
superintendent of schools
partner)
private school founder (or executive)
° National
·Public schools
- National: Ministry of Education
° Central
level: Ministry of Education and
and Human Resources
Negotiation
Human Resources
- Local: Superintendent of schools
Structure
° local
level: Superintendent of schools
° Private
schools
- local cluster of founders (or
executives)
°
° Dealing
with items related with improving
Dealing with items related with
Improving teacher’s socio economic
treatment and working condition, welfare
Range of
status including salary, working
and professional ability for teachers
Negotiation
※ Special Act on Improving Teacher’s
condition, welfare for teachers
※the subject of bargaining is same
Position, Article 12
with that of Labor Law
Negotiation
° Twice
a year and when negotiation is
° Minimum
Frequency
of twice a year
needed by mutual agreement
° It
is a kind of process which the KFTA and
government reaches same aims for
Legal character of
° Result
is effective as collective
improving teacher’s status rather than
negotiation Result
agreement.
contract between labor and management,
negotiation.
Source: Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (2003), teacher organization handbook, p. 5
Meanwhile there has been improvement in decreasing burdens by, bettering educational
conditions, educational democratization, upgrading teacher and education policy through
collective bargaining, negotiation of the KFTA, and collective bargaining of the KTU and KUTE.
Teachers’ unions have been criticized by media and parental organizations because of
unprofessional and uneducational methods or strategies such as a so called ‘leave rally’1 and
‘special class on current issue’ push demands that neglected the fundamental rights of students
to be educated. In the future, it is expected that the concern of parental organizations in
education, educational policy and school education will increase and that a new demand from
Teacher’s strike is prohibited in Korea and when teacher want to have a rally during weekdays, they
should go on leave. In Korea, it is called ‘leave rally’
1
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educational demanders of students or parents will appear. In the meantime, illegal and radical
collective action has been a target of criticism by parents and the nation. To much focus has
been on securing only self-interest and the so called ‘too stable status of teachers’ and
considering too much about teaching profession’s stability and status.
4. Academic Freedom and Tenure for Teachers
The Constitution of the Republic of Korea ensures academic freedom for all citizens in Article
22, Section 1-2. The academic freedom is a right to conduct academic activities without
government intervention or interference.
Article 39, Section 4 also states that "The Constitution provides for autonomy of colleges and
universities." College and university teachers in Korea largely enjoy unlimited freedom of
thought and expression in teaching and research activities without administrative, political, and
ideological barriers.
Elementary and middle school teachers do not enjoy the freedom to teach as much as
college and university teachers. They are not allowed to give students education that: disturbs
free democratic social order, is ideologically biased, and goes against moral standards (The
Constitution Court, Nov, 1992).
Academic freedom is at the center of research and teaching activities. Academic research is
to criticize established ideas and values, to create new ones. In this sense, an academic study
which disagrees with or contradicts to established thoughts, practices, and value systems is
tolerated (Supreme Court, May, 1982). All these provision allow for college and university
teachers the freedom to publish research outcomes in academic journals and books.
They can teach whatever they want and express academic opinions or research outcomes
through publications. In most cases, professors used this freedom to criticize or express
opinions about certain political and social issues. But they also criticized school foundation
management, school policies, and related issues as well. This has led to some dismissals on
the charge of student instigation. But the illegitimate and undemocratic times has disappeared
and now no particular sanction seems to be put on teachers when they criticize the government
policies with different political orientation. Yet still in some private schools, opinion gap between
school staff and school foundation about staffing, and financial management often leads to a
conflict between the school authority and staff. When the conflict becomes too intense, MEHRD
sends a government-appointed commissioner to make and implement decisions. Recently,
there is a lot of pressure both directly and indirectly from some teachers unions, civic groups,
and netizens regarding freedom of expression including presentations.
10
Academic freedom is supported through securing tenure for college and university professors.
Reappointment policy for professors had been implemented until 1975 in Korea. Later in the
late 1990's, a tenure policy was introduced to ensure the job security of professors. Besides,
schools can hire teachers for a certain period of time based on education and research activities.
College and university teachers are not always totally free from government or business
intervention, but the overall environment has changed to enable free academic activities
impossible in the past. The academic freedom can advance when supported by the job security
of teachers.
As for the job security of primary and secondary school teachers, Basic Education Act, Article
14 states that "teachers' professionalism in school education should be respected, the social
and economic status should be privileged, and jobs should be secured." Public Educational
Personnel Act, Article 43 also dictates "teacher's authority should be respected, and teachers
shall not be interfered by any illegitimate interventions that affect the professional status or
position. Civil education personnel are not subject to punishment, disciplinary action,
suspension, and forced appointment or dismissal against their will except for the reasons stated
in the law and they shall not be advised to resign." Particularly, Teacher Empowerment Act,
Article 4 provides for teacher's immunity from arrest by stating "unless taken in an act of crime,
teachers shall not be apprehended in schools without the consent of the principal." Primary and
secondary teachers are the only ones along with politicians who have the legal immunity from
apprehension ensured by the law.
Meanwhile when a teacher causes social criticism by neglecting duties, violating regulations,
and losing dignity or behave inappropriately or does harm to the school they will face
disciplinary actions including dismissal, discharge, pay reduction, suspension, and reprimand
dependent on the seriousness of the misconduct outlined in the disciplinary policy.
If a teacher feels that a disciplinary action brought against themafter hearings at the relevant
school, and local and provincial education offices is unwarranted, the teacher may appeal to the
Appeals Committee at the education ministry (Teacher Empowerment Act, Article 7). After the
Appeals Committee considers the appeal, the Committee for Disciplinary Action Review will
reinvestigate the case and disciplinary action, which often results in a lesser penalty. The public
has criticized this system for sending unqualified teachers back to school.
According to the type and seriousness of misconduct, both national/public school teachers
who are public educational personnel and private school teachers are affected by public servant
disciplinary policy and regulations (see Table 6).
<Table 6> Disciplinary Policy for Civil Servants
Seriousness very serious
heavy and
11
minor but
minor
& Degree and premeditated
very serious or very serious
and
Types of
not serious
not serious
Gross Misconduct
but premeditated not serious
or heavy but
1. Diligence Violation
a. Negligence or
Dismissal(DM)
Discharge(DC)
S-P.C
Reprimand(R)
b. Others
DM-DC
Suspension(S)
Pay Cut(P.C)
Reprimand
2. Insubordination
Dismissal
Discharge
S-P.C
Reprimand
3. Desertion from Workplace
DM-DC
Suspension
Pay Cut
Reprimand
4. Unkindness & Unfairness
DM-DC
Suspension
Pay Cut
Reprimand
5. Confidentiality Violation
Dismissal
Discharge
Suspension
P.C-R
6. Integrity Violation
Dismissal
Discharge
Suspension
P.C-R
7. Dignity Violation
DM-DC
Suspension
Pay Cut
Reprimand
Involvement DM-DC
Suspension
Pay Cut
Reprimand
Suspension
Pay Cut
Reprimand
Accounting Disorder
8.
&
Commercial
Dual Job Holding
9 Collective Action
DM-DC
Source: Education Law (2005)
Even if the job security of Korean teachers is near perfection from a legal point of view, the
breach of the rights of teachers and authority often occurs. This is the reason that Korean
Federation of Teachers’ Associations (KFTA), Korean Teachers &Education Workers' Union
(KTU), and Korean Union of Teachers and Education Workers (KUTE) have committed
themselves to protecting and advocating the rights and authority of teachers.
5. Collegiate Governance
Collegiate governance refers to the decision-making process of a college/university
management or authoritative relations between each phase of the process. Decision-making
organizations of a college or university includes a representative body like the board of directors,
the president who is in charge of policy implementation, and a body to hold school management
in check such as a faculty or trade union.
Korea has several types of post-secondary schools; a national university founded by the
central government, a national university created by a provincial government, a private
university created and managed by a private educational foundation. Universities are again
divided into 2-year colleges and 4-year universities. Then there is a graduate school that
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provides masters and doctoral degree education.
Members of a college or university are students, professors, and school staff. A faculty council
led by the president, a school affairs committee including dean, principal, department chief, and
superintendent, and a voluntary faculty meeting with no legal grounds govern the college and/or
university education.
A private university is created and governed by a private school foundation, and must have at
least seven directors and two auditors (Private School Act, Article 14). The board of directors
considers
and
make
decisions
on
① budget,
settlement
of
accounts,
and
acquisition/disposal/management of debt and property; ② adjustment of statutes; ③
consolidation or dismissal of school foundation; ④appointment and dismissal of the faculty; ⑤
appointment and dismissal of the president and faculty member; ⑥ school management
priorities; ⑦profit businesses ⑧other issues in its authority entitled by laws and statutes. As
stated above, the BOD of a private school has unlimited control over the overall finance and
staffing of the school.
A 4-year college is largely governed by the head of school or the president under the
guidance and supervision of the education minister (Secondary Education Act, Article 5). The
president presides over the overall school affairs of colleges, graduate schools, and
departments. Staff member supervision and student guidance are also part of their job (National
University Establishment Act, Article 6)
Many people criticize the Secondary Education Act for its too detailed provisions, which they
say limits the freedom of universities and undermines education to encourage individual
characteristics of students. In fact, the Act provides for rules on very specific issues like school
organization, curriculum management, teaching in the classroom, student screening, and even
hourly-based registration scheme as a way of getting academic degrees.
All universities are required by law (Secondary Education Act Enforcement Decree 4(1)) to
include rules on the establishment and governance of the faculty council, but only few
universities have the councils in their schools. The head of a national university is appointed by
the president of Korea after recommended by the education minister. In most cases, a university
president candidate is elected by faculty and a certain number of staff members through a direct
vote, but sometimes can be indirectly elected by the President Search Committee.
When it comes to private universities, the president is often nominated by the board of
directors. But they can also be directly elected by professors and/or staff members whose
decision is accepted by the BOD or appointed by the BOD after recommendation by the Search
committee. Since national universities do not have the boards of directors, the government is
encouraging them to govern schools as a special incorporated educational institution in order to
13
ensure more autonomy and competitiveness in school financing.
A private university is governed through a mechanism of checks and balances by the
president, BOD, faculty council. But the faculty council or meeting in private schools is largely
dysfunctional, and the authority and responsibility of school finance and staffing are heavily
concentrated on the foundation. Some school foundations act arbitrarily or cause conflicts with
the faculty and staff members. It is in this regard that the government and ruling party are trying
to amend related laws and regulations in order to make private schools governance more
transparent and reasonable as public institutions through introducing outside directors and
making faculty councils permanent.
Korea is an aging society with a low birth rate of 1.08% (2006). In the 2002-2003 school years,
the student capacity of universities surpassed the number of applicants. Against this
background, the government has worked towards restructuring of universities; encouraging
integration of universities with financial and administrative incentives to reduce the number of
universities. The expected outcome is not visible yet and the situation remains quite fluent.
6. Safe school environment and violence against teachers
Elementary and middle school environment (including educational conditions) in Korea such
as student rate per a class, students rate per a teacher and class size has been improved
through the efforts of the government. However, comparing with OECD standard, Korean
educational environment is still behind other OECD countries and shows significant difference in
each area.
The area with rapid increasing population like newly built city, student rate per a class is quite
high and classrooms are not enough. This causes lack of proper educational environment and
possibility of safety accident by being under construction even during the school term. Even
though
‘School
Environment
Sanitation
Purification
Zone’
is
designated,
numerous
uneducational and harmful places which can affect students in wrong way are around schools
(See Table 7).
<Table 7> Violation and Regulation on Harmful Place Around Schools
(unit: person)
Violation
Settlement
Administrati
Classif
Emplo Offer Conniv
Total
ication
Lewd
y
the drinks
Porno
Gambli
e
behavior Showing
youth to the access
14
ng
ve
nonrestra Summar
etc
arrest
warrning
int
y justice
disposition
youth
2002 2,614
113
906
276
64
32
31
1,192
18
2,505
15
76
2,099
2003 1,978
53
147
524
105
3
60
1,086
20
1,901
4
53
1,481
2004 1,564
44
356
93
32
4
40
995
4
1,521
12
27
1,190
Source: National Youth Commission (2005), 2005 Youth White Paper.
In addition the exposure to destructive information is serious and traffic accidents around
school zones happen frequently.
Violence (aggression) against teachers appears as an infringement of the authority of
teachers. Most of cases are concerned about unstable status, school safety accident, parental
resistance, slander, and conflicts with colleagues (See Table 8).
<Table 8> Teacher’s Authority Infringement (2005)
(unit: person, %)
Unstable School Safety
Classification
Status
Parents’ Resistance
Conflicts with
Slander
Accident
Others
18
32
27
5
9
28
(15.1)
(27.0)
(22.7)
(4.2)
(7.6)
(23.4)
10
10
25
3
5
6
(17.0)
(17.0)
(42.4)
(5.1)
(8.4)
(10.1)
National·
7
40
47
8
6
25
Public
(5.3)
(30.1)
(35.3)
(6.0)
(4.5)
(18.8)
21
2
5
8
9
(46.7)
(4.4)
(11.1)
(17.8)
(20)
7
34
29
3
3
20
(7.3)
(35.4)
(30.3)
(3.1)
(3.1)
(20.8)
17
8
23
5
11
14
(21.8)
(10.2)
(29.5)
(6.4)
(14.0)
(18.1)
Male
Gen
der
Total
Colleagues
119
Female
59
133
Fou
nder
Private
45
Elementary
96
Sch
ool Secondary
78
level
4
College
4
(100.0)
18
26
45
6
10
28
(13.3)
(19.5)
(33.7)
(12.0)
(7.5)
(21.0)
6
16
7
2
4
6
(14.6)
(39.0)
(17.1)
(4.9)
(5.8)
(14.6)
Teacher
Posi
133
Vice-
tion Principal·
41
Principal
Professor
4
4
15
(100.0)
28
42
52
8
14
34
(15.7)
(23.6)
(29.2)
(4.5)
(7.9)
(19.1)
Total
178
Source: The Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations (2006), 2005 Teachers’ Authority
Infringement Cases Paper.
There are also cases of the authority infringement on teachers over student accidents. To
solve these problems, the KFTA does the utmost to strengthen related system and to create
public atmosphere for securing the authority of teachers creating the ‘Educational Authority
Fund‘.
7. Private Schools and Institutions
The current 'Private Schools Act' aims at guaranteeing the independence and promoting the
public service of school foundations.
A private school is created and governed by a private school foundation but
primary/secondary schools governance is subject to the guidance and supervision of provincial
superintendents, and colleges and universities governance is under the supervision of the
education minister.
Private high schools in Korea account for 49.3% of the total students, and the share becomes
even larger at 78.5% for universities. (See Table 9)
<Table 9> Private Schools (2005)
Number of Schools
Number of Students
Number of Teachers
Total
Private (%)
Total
Private (%)
Total
Private (%)
Kindergarten
8,275
3,863(46.7)
541,603
417,320(77.1)
31,033
24,087(77.6)
Elementary
5,646
75( 1.3)
4,022,801
47,383( 1.2)
160,143
1,737( 1.1)
Middle School
2,935
659(22.5)
2,010,704
384,178(19.1)
103,835
19,842(19.1)
2,095
939(44.8)
1,762,896
869,308(49.3)
116,111
54,713(47.1)
1,382
643(46.5)
1,259,792
623,665(49.5)
91,030
38,002(41.7)
713
296(41.5)
503,104
245,643(48.8)
37,253
16,711(44.9)
College
158
144(91.1)
853,089
816,936(95.8)
12,027
11,376(94.6)
University
173
147(85.0)
1,859,639
1,458,971(78.5)
49,200
36,192(73.6)
Classification
High School
General High
School
Vocational High
School
16
Source: Ministry of Education and Human Resources · Korean Education Development Institute
(2005). Education Statistics Analysis Paper. pp.10~12. Reorganized.
The government abolished high school entrance examinations in 1974 to standardize the
levels of high schools through student placements. This measure was to give wider access to
secondary education. According to the policy, private schools accept students placed by
provincial education offices, and private school teachers in compulsory education such as
elementary and middle schools are paid by the government. Private high school teachers are
paid by provincial governments. Also tuition fees are same as that national or public schools.
This led to a limited leeway of private schools in student admissions, curriculum management,
and tuition fees establishment, which in turn makes it difficult for private schools to realize the
foundation philosophy and maintain an identity as a para-public education institution. Some high
schools with financial independence and a quality education environment hope to run special
independent and creative educational programs.
Starting from 2001, the government has run the six so-called 'independent private schools' as
a pilot project allowing the schools the freedom in accepting students, managing curriculum,
setting tuition fees. After four years since the project started, the government tried to expand the
independent models but met with great resistance from teachers unions, parents and civic
groups. The fate of independent schools will be determined after additional two years of the pilot
running.
People opposing the independent private school model say there is a risk that the school only
benefits a few rich kids, and that it may dismantle the foundation of standardized education for
all by injuring the very purpose of education and creating a sense of incompatibility.
Despite the resistance, the introduction of new and diverse types of schools seems inevitable
in order to meet the growing demands of parents and the general public. Particularly, specialpurpose schools for students who have gifted talents in science and arts, alternative schools,
independent public schools like charter schools in America are expected to expand in the future.
A policy reform that can raise the competitiveness of educational services is needed. It requires
an increase in the independence and distinctiveness of schools top allow for creative
educational programs.
17