Parents May Have Rights to Demand Audit of School
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
The Seoul education office plans to allow parents to file for audits of schools to help root out bribe-taking and other corrupt practices.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SOME) said Tuesday it would introduce a comprehensive anti-corruption package. Under the audit call system, a certain number of parents could call for the education office to audit a school if it violates rules or is involved in corrupt practices.
This is in line with the education office's efforts to restore public confidence in the office itself and the schools under its surveillance. The image of the top Seoul education office has been significantly tainted in the wake of a series of corruption scandals involving incumbent teachers and school administrators.
According to Korea Independent Commission Against Corruption, SOME was rated the lowest in a ``cleanliness evaluation'' among 16 education offices around the country since 2006.
``We are going to decide whether to introduce the parents' audit call system around December,'' an education officer told The Korea Times.
Parents currently have no rights to directly make a school audit proposal except for filing a complaint with the education office. The new measure will enable parents to call on education authorities to audit a questionable school when they detect apparent corrupt practices including bribery.
``Those involved in corruption will face various disadvantages and legal punishment,'' the education official said.