“Think about solutions to the situation, such as readjusting the number of recruits for 2025.”
Targeting an official from the Presidential Office who said that medical school students who were placed on leave of absence must return in the first semester of 2025 according to school regulations, medical school professors criticized, saying, “Stop distorting the university’s school rules and guarantee autonomy in academic operation.”
On the 2nd, the National Association of Medical School Professors (KMA) and the National Medical University Emergency Response Committee (KMA), which are medical school professor organizations, said on the 2nd, “The Ministry of Education and the Office of the President should take a step back from running university academics and admissions processes and guarantee the autonomy of universities.” He announced his position saying, “The current situation can be resolved.”
Professors criticized a high-ranking official in the President’s Office who said on the 29th of last month, ‘According to school regulations, medical students must return in the first semester of the 2025 school year.’ The Ministry of Education allowed leave of absence requested by medical students for personal reasons to be approved at the discretion of the university.
Professors said, “Most medical schools specify in their school regulations that ‘up to 2 semesters at a time’, but this only specifies the number of semesters applied for at one time, and allows up to 10 semesters of leave of absence through application for additional leave of absence.” He claimed that this official distorted the school rules.
The intention is that the remarks of a high-ranking official in the Presidential Office are in conflict with the recent announcement by the Ministry of Education. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Joo-ho requested university presidents on the 11th of last month, “Unless there are special reasons, please prepare regulations to limit consecutive leave of absence for more than two semesters.”
In response to this, the professors pointed out, “Just looking at this statement, the statement by a high-ranking official in the President’s Office that the current school regulations require the student to return in the first semester of the 2025 school year is a clear distortion,” and added, “We hope that there will be no further intervention as it will only worsen the current situation.”
The professors also claimed, “Fundamentally, interfering with or forcing revisions to each university’s school regulations is an unconstitutional behavior that runs counter to freedom,” and added, “They are making the situation worse by taking absurd measures without any intention of loosening the button on the reckless expansion of medical schools.” .
He continued, “The current situation can be resolved only when the Ministry of Education and the Office of the President withdraw their hands from running university academics and admissions processes and guarantee the autonomy of universities.” He added, “Conditions for students to return and focus on their studies are necessary, and the number of medical school recruits for the 2025 school year is readjusted.” “We need to think about fundamental solutions to the situation,” he suggested.
(Seoul = News 1)
Source: www.donga.com
