In an effort to protect teachers from abusive complaints and improve communication between parents and educators, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has announced a comprehensive plan that includes installing telephone recorders in all elementary schools, introducing a chatbot service to handle parental complaints, and implementing stricter meeting protocols.
The initiative, unveiled by Cho Hee-yeon, the superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, comes as a response to a series of tragic incidents involving teachers who took their own lives due to the stress caused by relentless and abusive complaints from parents.
One of the key components of the plan is the introduction of a chatbot service, set to launch as a pilot program in December. This AI-driven system will be designed to handle simple and repetitive complaints from parents 24/7, thus reducing the burden on teachers. If successful, the chatbot service will be expanded to encompass all elementary to high schools in the city by March of the following year.
For more complex and personal complaints, parents will be directed to the education office's call center or personal chatting service, ensuring their concerns are addressed effectively without causing additional stress to teachers. Issues specific to individual schools will be resolved through the school's main telephone number.
To enhance transparency and accountability, by the end of 2024, all elementary schools in Seoul will be equipped with telephone recorders. This measure aims to create an official record of interactions between parents and educators, which can be referred to when disputes arise. Starting in September of the following year, parents will also be required to seek prior approval via a mobile app for meetings with teachers. Additionally, video monitoring systems will be installed in school meeting rooms to prevent verbal assaults or violent incidents.
In an effort to further support teachers, the Seoul education office is planning to introduce a legal support system. Each school will be assigned a designated lawyer to provide legal counseling and advice to teachers facing legal accusations of abusing students. This measure is expected to offer educators a more robust defense against unfounded allegations.
The comprehensive plan represents a significant step towards improving the working conditions of teachers and fostering a more constructive relationship between parents and schools. It is hoped that these measures will reduce the stress on educators and ensure a safer and more productive educational environment for students in Seoul.
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