KTU Protests 'Opinion Survey and Restructuring Plan'... Integrated Office of Education Launch Faces Turmoil

Gwangju Branch: "Policy Opinion Survey Ignores the Needs of Schools"
Jeonnam Branch: "'1 Office, 6 Divisions' Restructuring Plan Only Strengthens the Main Office"

With the launch of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Office of Education approaching, the Gwangju and Jeonnam branches of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) have strongly protested the policy opinion survey and the proposed organizational restructuring, denouncing them as "one-sided administration without communication with teachers in the field."

On June 16, the Gwangju branch of the KTU issued a press release criticizing, "The 'Integrated Office of Education Policy Opinion Survey (for faculty and staff)', currently conducted by the K-Education Special City Preparation Committee, has thoroughly ignored the urgent needs of schools on the ground."

The Gwangju branch stated, "What teachers most desperately require after the integration is not a flashy blueprint for future education, but rather a reduction of administrative work and measures to protect teachers' rights, so that they can focus on teaching and guiding students." They further pointed out, "This survey excludes questions on the most pressing issues."

The branch continued, "Although the preparation committee is conducting a survey of 3,500 to 4,000 local residents, parents, and faculty and staff, questionnaires that omit key issues from the field only increase distortion." They expressed concern, stating, "This survey, which merely emphasizes the number of respondents in appearance, is nothing more than an attempt to justify the pretense that the demands from the field have been reflected."

In fact, according to a previous perception survey (with about 1,000 respondents) conducted by the Gwangju and Jeonnam branches of the KTU and the Gwangju Teachers’ Union, more than 50 percent of teachers cited “reducing administrative work in schools” as the top priority for the integrated office of education. In another survey conducted in January, 82.5 percent identified “personnel appointments unrelated to their residential areas” as their biggest concern.

The Gwangju branch added, "During his candidacy, President-elect Kim Dae-jung personally responded to a policy questionnaire that included these demands," and went on to say, "Conducting a survey that ignores these answers, despite knowing what the stakeholders want, is evidence of disregard for those in the field." They called for the results of the survey to be reflected and for consultation with teachers' organizations from the design stage.

On the same day, the Jeonnam branch of the KTU also issued a statement directly criticizing the recently confirmed organizational restructuring plan for the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City Office of Education, which adopts a “1 Office, 6 Divisions” structure.

The Jeonnam branch condemned, "There was no formal discussion structure or public consultation process at all to gather opinions from members in the field—including teachers, educational specialists, and general civil service staff." They criticized, "Looking at this restructuring plan, only the main office has been strengthened, and there is no roadmap for the essential tasks originally promised, such as decentralization and stronger support for schools."

Previously, the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education and the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education announced an organizational restructuring plan that places the Policy, Education, and Administration Departments at the Muan office in Jeonnam, while the Future Education, School Education, and Education Administration Departments will be located at the Gwangju office. In addition, a new ‘Planning and Coordination Office’ will be established directly under the First Deputy Superintendent to oversee integrated administration, finance, and organizational strategy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.