Launch of education panel

The presidential National Education Commission (NEC) responsible for establishing the nation’s medium- to long-term education policy was launched on Tuesday. The NEC is a consent-based administrative agency that was created by enacting related laws to ensure that educational policies are implemented stably and consistently based on social consensus. When the government changes in Korea, educational policies also change abruptly, resulting in social conflicts. Now, the attention is on whether the commission can play a role in ending this vicious cycle. If the NEC is run according to its purpose, it could serve as a stepping-stone to developing national education.

The NEC’s status and role are crucial. It sets up a medium- and long-term policy direction and a national education development plan to improve the education system. It also collects and coordinates public opinion on educational policies. More specifically, the commission decides policies on the school system, teacher recruitment, college admission, the optimal number of students per class and matters concerning the standards and contents of the national curriculum. Its decisions are implemented by the Ministry of Education and affiliated agencies, so the commission is on a different level from numerous advisory panels.

There are expectations for the commission, but concerns are far greater. That’s because many commission members recommended by President Yoon Sukyeol and rival political parties are those embroiled in controversy over their political and ideological biases. Many of the 21 commission members have revealed their ideological prejudices.