Seoul: School outings and field trips are rapidly diminishing in South Korea, prompting President Lee Jae Myung to call for urgent countermeasures. Teachers' groups, however, argue that the president's understanding of the issue is flawed and have urged the government to address the underlying problems rather than shifting the blame onto educators.
According to Yonhap News Agency, President Lee expressed his concerns during a recent Cabinet meeting, stating that schools were "depriving students of good opportunities" due to their reluctance to take responsibility. He further emphasized that one should not "get rid of a jar just because you fear maggots might appear." In response, the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations and the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union countered that his remarks did not accurately reflect the conditions within schools. They urged the government to avoid placing the burden of responsibility solely on teachers, as the decline in field trips cannot be attributed simply to teachers avoiding accountability.
The primary demand from teachers' groups is for legal protection that would enable educators to organize experiential learning without fear of personal repercussions. The turning point for this issue was the tragic death of a student on a field trip in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, in 2022. The homeroom teacher involved was charged with professional negligence resulting in death and was found guilty in both initial and subsequent trials. While student safety remains paramount, the prospect of individual teachers facing criminal charges for unforeseen accidents is deemed excessive.
Data reveals a noticeable decline in school field trips following this incident. Last year, only 51 percent of 605 elementary schools in Seoul conducted one-day field learning programs, a significant drop from 99 percent in 2023. Similarly, the proportion of elementary, middle, and high schools in Seoul planning overnight experiential programs fell from 42 percent last year to just 17 percent for the current year.
The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations has stated that normalizing experiential learning will be challenging unless the existing structure, which places the legal burden on individual teachers, is reformed. The teachers' union echoed this sentiment, asserting that systemic changes are necessary to alleviate teachers' concerns. While President Lee has mentioned safety personnel and financial support as potential solutions, these measures alone are insufficient to address the anxiety faced by educators in the field.
The Ministry of Education has acknowledged the issue and announced its intention to pursue legal revisions aimed at providing teachers with stronger protections against accidents during experiential learning. Swift action is needed to develop effective solutions. Field trips should not be phased out from schools; rather, a system that safeguards both students and teachers is essential for their revival.