MOEHRD to Push for Implementation of NEIS

The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development has decided to implement the planned National Education Information System (NEIS) while revising some privacy problem areas. The ministry is set to announce the plan on May 26, one day before the Korea Teachers and Education Workers Union says its members will take a massive leave.

˝We find it almost impossible to adopt the old Client Server (CS) system in the three areas of school administration, college exam preparations and health care as proposed by the National Human Rights Commission,˝ said MOEHRD on May 21.

˝We initially planned to review the matter for about 10 days,˝ it explained. ˝Given growing confusion with school administration, however, we have decided to convene a meeting with education superintendents from 16 cities and provinces on the 26th to push for implementation of NEIS, while continuing to talk with the teachers` union.˝

The ministry plans to go ahead with NEIS in the school administration and college exam preps areas while adopting the old system for school health care as recommended at the education administration information committee meeting held on the 19th. It plans to make some revision to appease KTU, which is demanding scraping of NEIS.

Deputy Education Minister Suh Beom-seok visited the progressive teachers` group on the day for talks but the group maintained its position that it will ˝take a mass day leave on May 28 unless the government carries out its promise not to use the new system in the three privacy problem areas.˝

The Prime Minister`s Office on the day presided over a meeting with director-level officials at MOEHRD, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs and the Ministry of Labor to discuss how to cope with the planned collective action. It will make a final decision on how to react at a minister-level meeting set for the 24th.

At the meeting, participants reviewed a plan to seek criminal charges against union leaders while meting out punishment to those involved after consultation with education superintendents.

The ministry has so far issued warnings or citations to teachers participating in a collective action less than four times, in a bid to avoid collision with the union.

Meantime, the ministry will develop plans to cope with a possible walkout at primary, middle and high schools nationwide, KTU`s refusal to use NEIS and a delay in early admissions to colleges. It will also continue to work with school principals, school operation boards and head of local autonomous bodies for talks with the teachers` union.

In-Chul Lee inchul@donga.com