A high school classroom in Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 28 (Korea Bizwire) – The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) became the country’s first agency to introduce a Student Rights Impact Assessment Program that obligates decision-makers to conduct a student rights assessment before carrying out a new policy or project.
The program will be first tested on three initiatives currently dealt with by the office, including the amendment of regulations on athlete recruitment among high schools in Seoul, installing locker rooms in schools, and holding a human rights debate at schools.
Starting next year, the SMOE will be obligated to conduct a Student Rights Impact Assessment before enacting or amending an ordinance or regulation.
Various policies and projects that may impact the rights of students will also be subject to a human rights assessment.
The program is designed to help educational authorities pre-check the risk of human rights violations and carry out various projects in a manner that best protects the rights of students.
The program will be carried out in three stages. The Student Rights Committee will have the final say on the assessments, and may recommend improvements if a certain project poses a risk to student rights.
Students will also participate as members of the committee, allowing the office to be monitored by all interested parties.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
