Liberal candidates snatched surprise victories in races for educational superintendents in Wednesday's local elections, signaling mounting public backlash against President Lee Myung-bak's competition-driven policy on schools.
Voters chose conservative runners in 10 out of the 16 races, but their majority was overshadowed by liberals' victories in the flagship regions of Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province.
Before Wednesday's elections, education superintendents in the country were all conservative, with the sole exception of Gyeonggi Province. Despite the usual incumbent advantage in superintendent elections, five current superintendents lost to liberal underdogs.
The elections gave Kwak No-hyun, former secretary-general of the National Human Rights Commission, a mandate to pursue his egalitarian promises that the conservatives have said contradict the market economy -- free, environmentally friendly food at primary and secondary schools and educational support for under-performing students. Kwak has also been a vocal critic of President Lee's drive to expand private elite schools and fire teachers based on their performance records.
"It may turn out that all educational policies come to an end," an official at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said on condition of anonymity, reflecting internal concerns.
Kwak's conservative rival, Lee Won-hee, a former chairman of the center-right Korean Federation of Teachers Associations, had made it his campaign pledge to dismiss incompetent teachers, up to 10 percent of the total, to enhance educational competence.
"With Kwak No-hyun's election, I believe Seoul's education system, which had centered on college admission scores, will be changed to put a greater focus on cooperation than competition at school," Yoon Sook-ja, a policymaker with the left-leaning Parents Association for True Education, said.
But Choi Mi-sook, a representative for the conservative Haksamo, or Parents Who Love Schools, expressed concern, saying the new liberal superintendent "can totally change not only the educational level of students but also the quality of life of our entire society."
In Gyeonggi Province, Kim Sang-gon, a university professor with broad record as an activist, beat Cheong Jean-gon from the conservative bloc.
Education policies took on a political tint in recent months as the government cracked down on unionized liberal schoolteachers.
Controversy mounted after the education ministry last month announced it was firing 134 teachers who joined minor opposition Democratic Labor Party, which it said violated the law requiring civil servants to be politically neutral.
Most of the named teachers are members of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union, a group associated with opposing the government's policies.
The controversy deepened after a ruling lawmaker disobeyed court instructions and posted on his Web site the names of schoolteachers who have joined the union.
A high school teacher in Seoul, speaking without giving his name, said not all policies need to go.
"The new superintendent should not reject all the existing policies, and he should try to minimize side effects" of the expected policy shift, he said.
Kwon Jong-hyun, a teacher at Wooshin High School in Seoul, said corruption is another issue that needs to be dealt with, referring to former scandal-ridden Superintendent Kong Jeong-taek, who was stripped of his post after he was found guilty of violating election laws. He is standing trial separately on bribery charges.
Kong "overlooked corruption and enjoyed privileges of the establishment," he said. "I hope the new superintendent will clear that corruption issue."//Yonhap
Voters chose conservative runners in 10 out of the 16 races, but their majority was overshadowed by liberals' victories in the flagship regions of Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province.
Before Wednesday's elections, education superintendents in the country were all conservative, with the sole exception of Gyeonggi Province. Despite the usual incumbent advantage in superintendent elections, five current superintendents lost to liberal underdogs.
The elections gave Kwak No-hyun, former secretary-general of the National Human Rights Commission, a mandate to pursue his egalitarian promises that the conservatives have said contradict the market economy -- free, environmentally friendly food at primary and secondary schools and educational support for under-performing students. Kwak has also been a vocal critic of President Lee's drive to expand private elite schools and fire teachers based on their performance records.
"It may turn out that all educational policies come to an end," an official at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said on condition of anonymity, reflecting internal concerns.
Kwak's conservative rival, Lee Won-hee, a former chairman of the center-right Korean Federation of Teachers Associations, had made it his campaign pledge to dismiss incompetent teachers, up to 10 percent of the total, to enhance educational competence.
"With Kwak No-hyun's election, I believe Seoul's education system, which had centered on college admission scores, will be changed to put a greater focus on cooperation than competition at school," Yoon Sook-ja, a policymaker with the left-leaning Parents Association for True Education, said.
But Choi Mi-sook, a representative for the conservative Haksamo, or Parents Who Love Schools, expressed concern, saying the new liberal superintendent "can totally change not only the educational level of students but also the quality of life of our entire society."
In Gyeonggi Province, Kim Sang-gon, a university professor with broad record as an activist, beat Cheong Jean-gon from the conservative bloc.
Education policies took on a political tint in recent months as the government cracked down on unionized liberal schoolteachers.
Controversy mounted after the education ministry last month announced it was firing 134 teachers who joined minor opposition Democratic Labor Party, which it said violated the law requiring civil servants to be politically neutral.
Most of the named teachers are members of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union, a group associated with opposing the government's policies.
The controversy deepened after a ruling lawmaker disobeyed court instructions and posted on his Web site the names of schoolteachers who have joined the union.
A high school teacher in Seoul, speaking without giving his name, said not all policies need to go.
"The new superintendent should not reject all the existing policies, and he should try to minimize side effects" of the expected policy shift, he said.
Kwon Jong-hyun, a teacher at Wooshin High School in Seoul, said corruption is another issue that needs to be dealt with, referring to former scandal-ridden Superintendent Kong Jeong-taek, who was stripped of his post after he was found guilty of violating election laws. He is standing trial separately on bribery charges.
Kong "overlooked corruption and enjoyed privileges of the establishment," he said. "I hope the new superintendent will clear that corruption issue."//Yonhap
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