Students and parents file petition to abort plan for int'l middle school

By Kim Boram
SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- A group of over one thousand students and parents filed
a petition with the Constitutional Court on Wednesday to try to abort Seoul's
plan to establish two international middle schools, seeking a provisional measure
that would suspend their opening.
The international middle school project, vetoed by the previous liberal
administration, received the nod from Seoul's new education chief in line with
President Lee Myung-bak's market-oriented education reform drive to enhance
competition at schools and increase the number of elite institutions.
"The international middle school is unconstitutional, as it infringes on the
right to fair education as well as the principle of equal opportunity in
education and legality of the school system," said Song Byung-choon, an attorney
representing some 1,700 petitioners. "Seoul has no legal authority to set up
international middle schools, as the education law does not allow special middle
schools."
He said that the petition demands a provisional measure to put off the opening of
the school until the court make the decision.
As Seoul's municipal government officially announced the establishment of the
international schools on Friday, the two designated schools, Daewon and
Younghoon, are expected to open in March when the new academic year begins.
All the main curricula at the schools, except for Korean language classes, will
be taught in English to promote greater proficiency in the language.
Some say international middle schools will help curb Korea's growing education
deficit by absorbing a portion of those students that are going abroad for their
studies.
Critics, however, have said that such schools will serve as an exclusive gateway
for privileged students to enter top universities and to study abroad, pointing
out that school tuition is likely to cost around 7 million won (US$5,400) a year.
"There will be much more intense pressure on students, particularly young
elementary school students, to compete for admission to the schools," said Jeong
Dong-kwon, a father of a sixth-grade primary school student who signed the
petition. "And students who are not able to afford the expensive tuition will
feel deprived."
Song said he expects the Constitutional Court will approve the provisional
measure before Dec. 18, when the two schools are to start accepting applications
for admission, adding that he believes the court will not make a decision that
goes against public will.
brk@yna.co.kr
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