People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo said on the 15th, which is Teachers' Day, "I dream of hiring all the teachers who are not appointed as after-school teachers or in various roles suitable for their aptitudes to create schools better than private academies."
Kim attended the '21st Presidential Election Policy Proposal Delivery Ceremony of the Korean Teachers Union' at the party's office in Yeouido that day, stating, "I believe there are many problems with having no choice but to go to private academies."
He noted, "The only place where a professional and trained organization that teaches for the children is established is at school," and added, "If we boldly invest in the budget, we can achieve the same results by spending only half the expense on private academies." He continued, "It has become a generation where parents underestimate schools compared to private academies, and we need to think deeply about whether we can just blame the parents for this."
The People Power Party announced its educational pledge for the presidential election, which includes changing the method of electing superintendents from direct elections by residents to 'the governor's running mate system' or 'the appointment system by the head of local governments.'
The party's Policy Coordination Headquarters unveiled the pledge of 'We will create schools where students can learn freely and teach joyfully', and stated, "We will eliminate the direct election system for superintendents, which turns classrooms into political arenas, and enhance the political neutrality, transparency, and educational capacity of superintendents."
The People Power Party will prioritize reducing the gap in government budget support between kindergartens and daycare centers, and also aims to implement phased free education and childcare for children aged 3 to 5, starting with age 5. It also stated it will promote phased free education and meals at its extended spring schools for lower elementary grades, and increase the operating hours of these schools during vacations.
As part of its pledges related to teachers, it will work to improve communication methods among teachers, parents, and education offices to create an environment where teachers can focus solely on education, not administration. Additionally, it will improve the system so that when a teacher is reported for child abuse and is investigated, if the superintendent submits a legitimate opinion on the guidance of daily life, an indictment can be avoided, while also establishing a system that allows education offices to support teachers in related legal cases through designated law firms, enabling them to claim compensation from opposing parties after a final ruling.
The People Power Party also promised to enhance personalized education for students using artificial intelligence (AI) digital textbooks, EduTech education utilizing AI, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), as well as digital literacy education.
It stated that through the high school credit system, it will expand students' subject choice rights and enhance self-directed learning using EBS programs, thereby reducing the burden of private education expenses. It also said it would provide customized education suitable for the growth process of students facing learning difficulties due to cognitive decline and significantly expand the operation of college admissions counseling centers to improve the accuracy and predictive power of admissions consulting.
As a pledge for safety in educational settings, it plans to gradually increase the number of school police officers and promote the installation of CCTV focusing on school blind spots after collecting opinions from school members such as parents and teachers. It will provide psychological counseling vouchers for teachers and increase the number of professional counseling teachers. Additionally, it decided to include screening items for youth addiction issues in mental health services and psychological assessment services.
To promote cooperation with local universities, it said it would create educational development special zones tailored to local characteristics and expand customized school complex facilities. It will also promote the revitalization of joint degree programs between Seoul National University and local regional universities, while supporting the voluntary restructuring of some underperforming and marginal universities. Additionally, the pledges include strengthening the competitiveness of vocational high schools, gradual expansion of lifelong education vouchers, and increased lifelong education for retirees.