Private Schools Versus Cheong Wa Dae

The problems surrounding the revised private school law have become more complicated. As Ohyun High School and four other private high schools in Jeju refused to receive new students, the government and the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MOE) announced their intentions to investigate into the illegal practices of private schools.

However, private high schools in other provinces outside Jeju, which are set to receive new students on January 12, have also repeatedly refused to receive new students, showing their opposition to the revised private school law. Therefore, the problem is likely to grow.

Cheong Wa Dae said on January 6 that they will take the private schools’ refusal to receive new students as a challenge against the fundamental order of the Constitution and will investigate the private schools and take other strong measures.

Cheong Wa Dae decided on this at a strategy meeting presided by Lee Byeong-wan, the chief presidential secretary. It announced, “We will firmly and rapidly take administrative and legal actions against the private schools so that the students will be given their right to study, and their parents will not be concerned over the academic schedule.:

Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kim Man-soo stated, “If there is interference in the legal process or if physical conflicts occur, the instigator will be made to take full responsibility.” He added, “We will take this opportunity to fully investigate irregularities in the teacher employment system in private schools and other corrupt practices.” He emphasized, “The MOE will lead the investigation to the private school practices and we will strengthen auditors. The Ministry of Justice, the MOE, the Ministry of Government and Home Affairs and others will cooperate in this matter. If any corrupt acts are uncovered, we will swiftly take legal action against the instigators.

President Roh directed his chief secretary to prepare a plan for this problem. The government held a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan and prepared a strategy on the government level.

The MOE and the Jeju-do Office of Education tried to persuade the principals and board members of the five private high schools, but did not garner much success. Each high school’s alumni association as well as civil groups of parents are increasingly demanding from the schools that they retract their refusal to accept new students.

The heads of the five high schools’ alumni associations held a meeting on January 5 at the Jeju KAL Hotel and agreed to jointly handle the issue, and requested the schools to accept new students.