Prudent vote for education superintendents

June 1 is the local election day. According to the National Election Commission (NEC), seven types of local public officials are to be elected all around the country. To make the right choice, we need to be familiar with the duties and roles of these elected officials.

As part of that effort, I would like to describe one type of these local officials: the education superintendent. The reason for this is that the general electorate’s understanding and interest in the superintendent is not relatively high. And I am confident that I know more than other ordinary people, at least in part.

One superintendent is elected for each metropolitan (or provincial) area, a total of 17 people across the country. Unlike all other elected local officials, the superintendent cannot belong to a political party. It is said that it was so codified for “political neutrality in education.” Nonetheless, in reality, the candidates are willing to reveal their political leanings openly, and people take it for granted.

The superintendent shall manage all local education programs except university education, which is administered and controlled by the central government. The status and power of the superintendent is described in detail in the Republic of Korea’s Act on Local Education Autonomy. Its main and practical concepts can be explained as follows.

First, the superintendent manages the deployment and management of human and material resources of kindergarten, elementary, middle and high schools (except universities) in their metropolitan/provincial autonomous region. They can impose advice and supervision on schools, or direct control, if necessary. In this regard, it is known that the personnel and budgetary powers and responsibilities exercised by the superintendent are never weaker than those of the governor or mayor.

Second, the superintendent oversees the organization and operation of the curriculum for the schools under their control. Of course, the central government is supposed to promulgate the national curriculum, but the superintendent can add or modify as needed. Should this authority be exercised properly, the curriculum and policies of each education borough can be operated discriminatorily. Front-line teachers feel these effects in person and put them into practice for their students.

Third, the superintendent has great authority to influence the private education sector as well as public education. For example, they have absolute power on the establishment and the operation of various private academies.

Now, it is often the case that a progressive superintendent adopts a conservative policy, or conversely, a conservative superintendent goes progressive. So if you vote based only on your political leanings, the education polices of the elected superintendent may disappoint you. That is why we need to know the role and duties of the superintendent as mentioned above and to check in advance what vision each candidate has for this.