Association of Private Schools in Korea Prepares Separate Revision

The Association of Private Schools in Korea (APSK), formed by foundations of private elementary, middle, and high schools, and colleges, is disagreeing with the government and the ruling party’s movement to revise private school laws by preparing a separate revision.

On August 2, the APSK criticized and declared themselves against the revision bill, proposed by the Ministry of Education and Human Resources (MEHR), by issuing a statement titled, “An Opinion On Examining the Revision Bill.”

Song Young-sik, the secretary general of APSK, said, “If the government’s revision bill is noticed for legislation without adjustment, private schools will take legal proceedings for unconstitutionality as well as holding a street demonstration.”

APSK’s Standpoint—

The APSK said in a public statement that “properties of private schools are not properties to be returned to the public, but private properties belonging to the foundations that realize the school’s ideologies.” Therefore, the right to run the school, including the right of personnel management, belongs to the foundation.

The APSK said, “Handing over the right to appoint teachers and professors to the president of a school means, in reality, handing over the right of personnel management to the teachers’ committee, and it’s an act depriving the board of directors of the right to manage the school.” On the issue of the faculty nominating the director, APSK said, “The act of the faculty, the employee, nominating the director, the employer, cannot be tolerated.”

The association prepared a separate revision of the private school law in order to lighten the current regulations on private schools.

The revision proposal includes changing the MEHR’s right to approve and cancel the director’s assumption of office and the right to demand dismissal, and abolishing the temporary director system. Also, the law is mitigated by requiring only a report, and not requiring approval when the foundation changes their articles.

National Conference of Private Foundations—

The association plans to hold a conference on the “desirable relationship between the nation, society, and private colleges” in Yoeuido on August 17. At the conference, Steven Trachtenberg, the president of George Washington University, and Dadao Kiyonari, the president and director of Hosei University, will be participating and will give a lecture, stating, “Private schools can only develop with less regulations.”

Progress—

The Ministry of Education and Human Resources, in the business report at the Assembly on July 7, called for a revision to the private school law so that the right of personnel management will be handed over to the faculty from the board of directors to prevent private school corruption, Faculty will be allowed to suggest one-third of the directors of school which had caused problems before. It is also stated that the Uri Party is also preparing a revision bill on private school law, which reduces the foundation’s rights.

The ministry and the Uri party are planning to lay the revision bill before the House sometime this year after consultation.

Seong-Chul Hong sungchul@donga.com