Survey shows deepening frustration among educators

Nearly half of South Korean teachers say their sense of professional pride has weakened significantly over the past two years, according to a survey released Wednesday. More than 16% said the decline had become serious enough for them to consider leaving the profession or taking early retirement.

The results reflect growing fatigue among educators, many of whom say repeated complaints from parents, threats of child abuse allegations and the erosion of classroom authority have made teaching increasingly difficult.

The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations released the findings ahead of Teachers’ Day, which falls Friday in South Korea. The survey was conducted between April 27 and May 5 and included 8,900 teachers nationwide, ranging from kindergarten educators to university faculty members.

According to the poll, 49.2% of respondents said their professional pride had declined over the past one to two years. The largest share, 67.9%, said they felt most powerless when they were not trusted by students or parents and when their rights as teachers were undermined.

Asked about the reasons teachers are leaving the profession or why fewer young people want to enter it, respondents most frequently cited indiscriminate child abuse reports and excessive complaints from parents, at 28.9%.

That was followed by low salaries and frozen allowances at 28.1%, and weakened student discipline and insufficient protections for teachers’ rights at 23.5%.

The survey also found that 61.6% of respondents plan to support candidates in next month’s superintendent elections who place greater emphasis on protecting teachers’ rights and improving working conditions for educators.

Kang Ju-ho said teachers need more than symbolic Teachers’ Day ceremonies. He called for stronger legal protections that would allow educators to focus on teaching without fear of violence, child abuse accusations or malicious complaints from parents.


Ye-Na Choi yena@donga.com