Lee set to shake up education ministry

By Yoo Cheong-mo
SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak is set to replace ranking
education ministry officials who have been accused of being left-leaning and of
failing to carry out the conservative president's reform policies, officials at
the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the seven highest-ranking officials of the Ministry of Education,
Science and Technology -- except its minister and vice minister -- offered to
resign en masse, saying they want to give their subordinates opportunities for
promotion.
But Cheong Wa Dae officials confirmed on Wednesday that the resignation offers by
the education ministry's top officials reflected Lee's intention to reform the
policies of his liberal predecessor, Roh Moo-hyun, who promoted egalitarian
education policies.
Since his inauguration in February, Lee has advocated elitism and fair
competition across the educational sector.
The presidential office said that Lee's policy moves -- revising left-leaning
textbooks, reinforcing English education, hiring more native English-speaking
teachers and amending college entrance exam structure -- have so far fallen
through in the face of systematic resistance from top ministry officials.
"The mass resignations of top education ministry officials signaled the start of
a sweeping reform of the ministry," said a Cheong Wa Dae official, noting Lee
will soon name one of his most trusted aides as vice education minister.
"It is difficult to push ahead with various educational reforms instructed by
President Lee, as long as a large number of left-leaning officials who had gained
rapid promotions during the previous liberal governments remain in key
ministerial posts," said the official.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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