Teachers and parents call for end to illegal donations and gifts

KTU and the National Parents Organization for Cham Education have worked to get rid of the practice of illegal donations and gifts for years. But still these practices, like forced fundraising, illegal donations, and gifts, are flourishing. To root out these practices, these two organizations have decided to work together.

If we look at concrete cases of such practices, allotments for classes and students are most common. Other cases include contributions forced indiscriminately by reason of improving art education or athletics. The reasons for the money vary, from money for snacks, supervising self-study, dinner, and gifts, to expenses for facilities and basic needs like water and air conditioning, which should be covered by school operating budgets.

In addition, the amount of allotments and the total money involved isn't revealed. The money could go into a few executive parents' and principals' pockets. The Ministry of Education, which should supervise these practices, tries to hide them. Illegal donations have continued at schools all over the country and furthermore, the practice has been tolerated. In reality, the ministry is topping up insufficient education budgets with these forms of illegal taxes. The existing 'Fundraising System for School Development' is contributing to this practice, for it could supply excuses to rationalize illegal donations.

Public education should be operated with government money. It must not give a double burden to the public. Accordingly, the Fundraising System for School Development should be done away with. Along with its abolition, the government should take measures for the expansion of education budgets in order to improve public education, through revising the 'Education Finance Grant Law'.

Our resolutions:

1. Members of both organizations will take the lead in a 'self cleaning action.'
2. We will conduct a campaign and collect signatures together.
3. The organizations will open and manage a centre for reporting illegal donations and build a supervisory system.
4. We will try to reform the 'Education Finance Grant Law,' which is causing illegal donations.
5. Both organizations will solidarize up to the day when illegal donations and gifts are rooted out.

2006.3.29
KTU and Parents Organization for Cham Education (Park Soon-hee)

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