Education Groups Demand Rejection of Grant Reform Plan, Begin Tent Protest in Front of National Assembly

[Financial News] A total of 374 groups, including teachers' organizations and civil society groups, began an indefinite tent protest in front of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, on the 7th, opposing the government's plan to reform local education finance grants.
The Emergency Action to Oppose the Reform of Local Education Finance Grants, which includes the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA), Korean Teachers' Union Federation, Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU), and Seoul Council of Education Organizations, said the tent protest was "an action to inform the public of the problems with the reform of local education finance grants and urge the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea to make a responsible decision." It added, "We will remain here until the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea listens to the voices of the education field and civil society and corrects the government's unilateral reform plan."
The Emergency Action urged the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea to "maintain the linkage system tying local education finance grants to domestic tax revenue and reject the government's plan to reform local education finance grants." It also called for the establishment of a public deliberation body involving the education community and civil society.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education submitted to the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea on the 3rd a bill to revise the Local Education Finance Grant Act. The bill would abolish the linkage system that automatically allocates 20.79% of domestic tax revenue as funding for local education finance grants.


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