The controversial "teacher evaluation program" is going to be tested by 16 boards of education around the country starting the middle of this month. One elementary, middle, and high school will be part of the program in each board's jurisdiction, a total of 48 schools. Officials have not arrived at a final agreement with teachers' organizations, but it is fortunate that at the very least all sides share some of the same views about what the outlines of program should look like, regarding aspects such as what it should be expected to achieve and the evaluation method.
The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development has been accommodating about many of the concerns expressed by teachers. The results of the evaluation process will be used only in improving teachers' teaching skills. Through surveys, students will participate in the evaluation process for "student class satisfaction" and parents will participate in the evaluation of their satisfaction with their children's school life. Overall evaluation will be done by fellow teachers. The possibility that evaluations could be used in restructuring and concerns about reliability have been reduced. We trust that the development of objective indicators and the problem of guaranteeing the expertise of those who do the evaluating will be improved upon while the program is tested.
The program is being adopted in response to strong demands from students and parents. Faith in teachers is not what it used to be. There was also social pressure saying that teachers cannot be an exception when evaluations are done in every area of society. What must be remembered, however, is that the greatest goal of the teacher evaluation program is improving the quality of education, something that cannot be done exclusively by squeezing on teachers. Unless there are changes in a system of education that is focused on the university entrance process, classroom overcrowding, insufficient teaching staff, teaching overload, authoritarian school operations, and other issues relating to educational conditions and climate, then improving the quality of it all will be impossible. In particular, the "working evaluation program" that is done entirely by those in positions of management must be improved. The results of that program are used as basic material in promotions and transfers, but there have been complaints about its lack of objectivity and impartiality. It has been one of the reasons the country's education system is so uniform.
Participation and cooperation by teachers will be essential in getting the "teacher evaluation program" settled. Conditions are inadequate, but we earnestly hope that it will be improved with teacher participation, if also to restore the confidence of students and parents.
The Hankyoreh, 5 November 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection]
[Editorial] Making Teacher Evaluations Effective |
