Strife between gov't, education offices deepens

By Jhoo Dong-chan

Conflict between the government and regional educational offices is escalating over two major issues. The education offices are defying orders to take disciplinary action against unionized teachers; and neither side can agree on budget allocations for next year's free childcare and preschool projects ― the so-called Nuri Program.

The Ministry of Education said Tuesday that it had ordered regional education offices last week to carry out their duty of punishing teachers who signed a statement protesting the government's move to publish state-authored history textbooks.

The order comes as none of the 17 regional offices have taken any action despite an earlier request from the ministry. Last month, it ordered regional education offices to punish a total of 21,379 teachers who endorsed the statement in October, setting a deadline of Dec. 11 for the disciplinary action.

Under the law, public school teachers ― who are civil servants ― are prohibited from taking part in collective political action. However, sole authority to take disciplinary action against teachers lies with the heads of regional education offices, not the ministry.

The offices are now required to follow the order and punish the teachers by Jan. 28, or the ministry will take administrative measures against the offices if they do not comply. The ministry may even file suits against the education office superintendents for dereliction of duty.

However, liberal-minded superintendents have already expressed their refusal to punish the teachers, saying they expressed their opinions from their educational perspectives rather than from political or ideological motivations.

Under the related law, superintendents can file an objection with the Supreme Court within 15 days of a ministry order if they think it is unjust.

Besides the disciplinary action, the ministry and regional educational offices are also grappling over the budget for next year's free childcare and preschool programs.

The offices claimed the free programs were a policy pledge by President Park Geun-hye during her election campaign and so the central government should cover the costs. They also said they have no responsibility for financing daycare centers, which are supervised by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

However, the education ministry strongly denounced this action, claiming the offices are refusing to set aside funds for the programs despite having enough money.

Education Minister Hwang Woo-yea met several superintendents, Monday, to resolve the conflict, only to reconfirm the wide gap between the two sides.