Foreign Language High School Conversion Canceled


There’s controversy surrounding the fate of Jeju Foreign Language High School and for now, it’s expected that no changes will be made to the school.

Last year, (이주호) Lee Ju-ho, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, expressed a negative stance on the closure of foreign language high schools.

Following this, the education ministry and the ruling party officially confirmed the preservation of autonomous private high schools, foreign language high schools, and international schools. They did so through the ruling party-government consultative council.

Recording
Lee Tae-gyu / Representative, People Power Party
We’ve decided to preserve autonomous private high schools, foreign language high schools, and international schools to provide tailored education that aligns with students' abilities and aptitudes.

This will support the enhancement of educational capabilities through autonomous educational innovation by local governments.


In the previous government under President Moon Jae-in, there were concerns that foreign language high schools and autonomous private high schools were exacerbating a "school hierarchy" and becoming focused solely on the purpose of college entrance exams.

As a result, revisions were made to the Enforcement Decree of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.


Accordingly, starting from March 2025, Jeju Foreign Language High School was scheduled to be converted into a general high school.

But there was strong opposition from parents as they argued that unlike other schools on the mainland that had become distorted for the purpose of college entrance exams, Jeju Foreign Language High School was operating as a specialized school focusing on foreign languages.

Jeju Education Superintendent (김광수) Kim Kwang-su also supported the preservation of the foreign language high school.

After the announcement of the conversion to a general high school by the previous administration, Jeju Foreign Language High School was significantly affected, even in terms of recruiting new students.

The intense debate and discussion surrounding the school’s future has come to an end for now, and the focus is on the results of next year's recruitment of new students.





"제주외고, 일반고 전환 없던 일로"


존폐 논란이 일던
제주외국어고등학교가 현행대로 유지될 전망입니다.

지난해 이주호 사회부총리 겸 교육부 장관이
외국어고등학교 폐지에 부정적인 입장을 내비친데 이어
교육부와 여당이 당정협의회를 통해
현재 자사고와 외고, 국제고 존치를 공식화했습니다.

[녹취 이태규 / 국민의힘 의원 ]
지난 정부에서 폐지하기로 했던 자사고, 외국어고, 국제고를 존치하여 학생들의 소질과 적성에 맞는 맞춤 교육을 실시하며 지역의 자율적인 교육 혁신을 통한 교육 역량 강화를 지원하기로 하였다.


전임 문재인 정부에서
외고와 자사고 등이
'학교 서열화'를 조장하고
입시 목적으로 변질됐다며 초중등교육법 시행령을 개정했습니다.

이에 따라 오는 2025년 3월부터
제주외고는
일반고등학교로의 전환이 예정돼 있었습니다.

특히 제주외고의 경우
입시 목적으로 변질된 다른 지역과 달리
외국어 특화학교로서 운영되고 있다며 학부모들의 반발이 컸습니다.

김광수 제주도교육감 역시 외고 존치에 힘을 실었습니다.

지난 정부의 일반고 전환 발표 이후
제주외국어고등학교는
신입생 모집에도 적지 않은 영향을 받은만큼

그동안의 갑론을박이 사실상 종결되면서
내년 외고 신입생 모집 결과에도 관심이 쏠리고 있습니다.