The Ministry of Education is reforming regulations to reduce the legal burdens on teachers related to safety incidents during field trips, including school 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 pursuing 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 of Education 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 exempt school principals, staff, and assistants from civil and criminal liability in cases where they do not violate safety management guidelines intentionally or through gross negligence.
Currently, teachers can only be exempted from liability if they can demonstrate that they fulfilled their safety obligations. However, if the law is amended, the burden will shift to investigative agencies to prove whether a teacher acted intentionally or with gross negligence.
The Ministry of Education 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 that align with the legal amendments.
The ministry cited a recent decline in the operation of field trips as a backdrop for these reforms. Last year, the participation rates for 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 of Education remarked, "There are insufficient legal safeguards to protect teachers in the event of safety incidents," adding that the burden of responsibility on teachers is limiting the operation of field trips, raising concerns about restricted educational opportunities for students.
The discussion gained momentum following President Lee Jae-myung's remarks. During a Cabinet meeting last month, he noted, "These days, students are not going on field trips or school excursions," and called for measures to address the issue.
The Ministry of Education also plans to significantly strengthen its legal support system. In the future, an education office response team will assist with accident management immediately after an incident, designating a dedicated lawyer to provide comprehensive support from initial legal consultation to investigation and trial responses.
Support through the teacher protection fund will also be expanded. Currently, local education offices provide approximately 6.6 million won for legal costs and up to 250 million won for liability support, with discussions ongoing about increasing these amounts.
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 platform for schools to utilize around 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, will increase by 200 next year.
The ministry also aims to enhance pre-safety inspections for programs, facilities, and vehicles in collaboration with local governments and relevant agencies, and plans to expand the "Safe School Trip Service" currently operating in regions like Jeju and Gyeongju to other areas.
The Ministry of Education plans to begin the legislative process for amending the School Safety Act in the second half of this year, following consultations with the National Assembly, with an aim to implement the changes in the first half of next year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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