Students to participate in policy-making process

By Kang Shin-who

Students will be able to have a say in the process when education policies are formulated.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said Tuesday its Superintendent Kwak No-hyun has proposed the creation of a “student participatory committee,” a communication channel between student representatives and the capital’s top educator.

It will be the first time the country’s students will be given opportunities to take part in the education policy-making process.

According to the office, the committee will consist of three students, each representing elementary, middle and high schools.

An official said the representatives will play the roles of communication channels by collecting complaints and suggestions from students for a better school environment.

Some educators expressed concern over the office’s unprecedented move.

A school principal in Mapo-gu said, “It is too early for immature school students to be allowed to take part in the process of decision-making.”

Others say teachers might label those working for the committee as rebellious students.

The top educator, who was a human rights activist, has worked toward improving student rights, since he took office last month.

He recently launched a task force to review the current law on corporal punishment and ordered schools to scrap all forms of physical punishment.