The Ministry of Education is reforming regulations to reduce the legal burdens on teachers during school field trips, including excursions and retreats.
In the event of an accident, the education office will immediately assign a dedicated lawyer to assist with investigations and legal responses. The ministry is also pushing for legal amendments to ensure that teachers are not held civilly or criminally liable unless intentional or gross negligence is proven.
According to Yonhap News, the "Support Measures for Field Trips" announced by the Ministry on May 28 includes provisions that apply not only to school trips but also to physical activities on playgrounds and laboratory practices in educational settings.
The key to these measures is the amendment of the "School Safety Accident Prevention and Compensation Act." Legal provisions will be established to ensure that school principals, staff, and assistants are not held civilly or criminally liable for safety accidents unless they significantly violate safety management guidelines without intent or gross negligence.
Currently, teachers can only be exempt from liability if they can prove they fulfilled their safety obligations. However, with the proposed legal changes, the burden will shift to investigative agencies to prove a teacher's intent or gross negligence.
The Ministry stated, "The intent of exemption will be reflected from the investigation and prosecution stages," and the National Police Agency plans to develop separate investigative guidelines reflecting these legal amendments.
The Ministry cited a recent trend of declining participation in field trips as a backdrop for these reforms. Last year, the rates of elementary school retreats and trips were notably low, with Daejeon at 4.0%, Seoul at 7.7%, Gyeonggi at 9.7%, and Incheon at 13.6%.
The Ministry emphasized that the current legal protections for teachers in the event of accidents are inadequate, stating, "The burden of responsibility on teachers is leading to a reduction in field trip opportunities, raising concerns about limiting students' educational experiences."
The discussions gained momentum following remarks by President Lee Jae-myung, who called for solutions during a Cabinet meeting last month, noting, "These days, students aren't going on picnics or field trips."
The Ministry also plans to significantly enhance the legal support system. In the future, an education office response team will assist immediately after an accident, designating a dedicated lawyer to provide comprehensive support from initial legal consultation to investigation and trial responses.
Support through the Teacher Protection Mutual Aid Program will also be expanded. Currently, local education offices provide support for legal costs of approximately 6.6 million won and compensation of up to 250 million won, with further increases under consideration.
The management of personnel and safety systems for field trips will also be revised. The criteria for assigning support staff will be strengthened from "one staff member for every 50 students" to "one staff member per class." The Ministry plans to collaborate with the Fire Agency to secure personnel with emergency response capabilities and establish a separate platform for schools to utilize approximately 5,000 support staff nationwide.
Additionally, the Ministry will expand dedicated personnel at education support offices to reduce the administrative burden on teachers related to contracts, safety inspections, and staff assignments. The current number of dedicated personnel, around 30, is set to increase by 200 next year.
The Ministry will also work with local governments and related organizations to expand pre-safety inspections for programs, facilities, and transportation, and plans to extend the "Safe School Trip Service" currently operating in regions like Jeju and Gyeongju to other areas.
The Ministry intends to begin the legislative process for amending the School Safety Act in the second half of this year, aiming for implementation in the first half of next year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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