[Opinion] Education Reform Scandal

An increasing number of advanced countries are adopting an open recruitment system for school principal positions to allow “CEO-type professionals” to head educational institutions. Under the initiative, anyone, including young teachers and civilians without teaching experience, can become the principals of a school if they can demonstrate excellent leadership and managerial skills. The only reason for the introduction of the system is to strengthen the competitiveness of education. Whatever reform measures the government draws up will be futile unless schools show a willingness to cooperate or reform. This is why the governments call in professionals to take initiative in school reforms.

In September this year, new principals selected through an open recruitment system will be assigned to 55 schools nationwide. Although the change is intended to increase the competitiveness of schools, school parents say there is something confusing about it. This is because the two major teachers` groups, the Korean Federation of Teachers` Association (KFTA) and Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU), have shown mixed reactions to it. The KFTA has been seeking ways to strengthen the competiveness of education, while the KTU strongly opposes its efforts. The KTFA supports the increased autonomy of education, but the KTU demands the intervention of the government to provide equal education. Hence, it would be natural for the KTFA to support the open recruitment system and for the KTU to opposite to it. However, they are doing exactly the opposite.

This is because each group has an ulterior motive. If the new system is introduced, the KTU will have a chance to select principals of their choice. That’s why the KTU is supporting the system. The KTU is even saying that teachers should select principals.

Meanwhile, the KFTA, in which the majority of members are senior teachers or principals, is opposing it because the new system will force its members to lose their jobs. Although the Ministry of Education claimed to have drawn up a compromise measure, the open recruitment system has already created a number of scandals in the screening process.

The KTFA’s investigation report, which was announced yesterday, raised suspicions of unfair evaluation of candidates and even bribery in the screening process. Although we have to consider the fact that the investigation was conducted by the KTFA, which has conflicting interests, it certainly has exposed problems.

The Ministry of Education pushed the plan too early. The open recruitment system for school principal positions cannot be successfully implemented unless it is introduced along with a new program to evaluate teachers. Qualified principals can be selected only when fair and rational assessments have been accumulated for over a certain period of time. The hasty introduction of the system will result only in sloppy management and wrangling as assessments on teachers hardly exist at the moment. The situation of Korean education is not the same as that of some advanced nations. In particular, the introduction of the system may weaken the competitiveness of education unless the KTU, which has the most influence in the teaching community, throws away its biased views and excessive control over schools.

Hong Chan-sik, Editorial Writer, chansik@donga.com