Opposition is growing in response to the Ministry of Education’s policy of ‘abolition of foreign language high schools’. In addition to the principals, the parents also took part in the protest movement. A student petition to withdraw the abolition policy also appeared.
The National Association of Foreign High School Parents held a press conference in front of the National Assembly on the morning of the 5th, urging, “The government should immediately and hastily withdraw the policy of abolition of foreign language high schools, which is being promoted unilaterally and havetily, and engage in dialogue with a minimum of sincerity.”
In a statement, they also demanded the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Park, saying, “They announced an education policy that has been passed down for a hundred years.” It is said that the policy was introduced without communication with the education community, such as debates or public hearings.
The Federation said, “We are concerned regarding the behavior of the education authorities that drive public opinion to one side without any public discussion process in which schools, students, and parents participate. ” he claimed.
They continued, “If the cause of maintaining science high schools, gifted schools, and autonomous private high schools is to satisfy the educational autonomy and diversity of students and parents, the existence of foreign language high schools and international high schools must also be guaranteed to maintain policy consistency.”
Parents plan to continue their collective action by holding a press conference once morest the abolition of foreign language high schools at the auditorium of Ewha Girls’ Foreign Language High School in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 11th.
“One-sided announcement of education policy… We will take all possible measures to actively respond”
On the 1st, the National Council of Foreign High School Principals demanded the withdrawal of the policy, saying, “It unilaterally announced the education policy, which has been around for a hundred years, without discussion.”
They warned, “If the policy is not withdrawn, we will inform the wrong education policy and take all possible measures, including legal action, to actively respond.”
On the same day, in the National Assembly petition for consent, an article was posted saying, “Please stop the abolition of foreign language high schools.” The petitioner, who said he was a first-year foreign language high school, said, “I said that it should be abolished because the purpose and results of the establishment of the foreign language high school did not match, but it is questionable why we should go to the language department.” I study while dreaming of myself standing on stage.”
As of the followingnoon of the 5th, this petition has received the consent of 13,898 people.
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Park Soon-ae said in a briefing on the president’s work report on the 29th of last month, “I have the idea of maintaining the private high schools, but abolition or conversion of foreign high schools, so that the curriculum in various fields has a special purpose.”
“Reviewing various measures to nurture talents suitable for the future society”
In relation to this, the Ministry of Education said in an explanatory material on the 5th, “We plan to prepare a plan for reorganizing the high school system (plan) by the end of the year with the basic direction to guarantee the diversity of school education and the education options of students who are education consumers.” In the case of foreign language high schools with the goal of
The Ministry of Education added, “In the future, we will prepare a plan to reorganize the high school system following sufficiently collecting various opinions from all walks of life, including policy research and discussion meetings, and faithfully conducting social discussions.”