Government legislation ministry rules private schools must include parent on discipline panels

The government legislation ministry said Tuesday that private school foundations operating elementary and secondary schools must include at least one parent representative from the school operating committee on their teacher disciplinary panels. The ruling addresses an inquiry regarding whether foundations are exempt because they hold the authority to appoint teachers.

Issued in response to a public inquiry regarding the Private School Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the interpretation rejects the foundation-level distinction. Officials noted that since appointment authority legally resides with the foundation, the disciplinary committee must be established at that level, carrying the obligation to include a parent representative. The ministry stated the requirement aims to reflect the views of parents as direct stakeholders in education, thereby enhancing the transparency and fairness of disciplinary procedures.

Under the relevant statutes, a teacher disciplinary committee must consist of between five and 11 members, including at least two external members not affiliated with the foundation. For elementary and secondary schools, at least one of these external members must be the designated parent representative. The ministry clarified that while the Private School Act allows university faculty appointment powers to be delegated to school heads, no such delegation exists for elementary and secondary institutions, making the foundation the sole authorized body for establishing these committees.

The ministry stated that the limitation specifying parent participation exists because forming school operating committees with parent members is practically impossible at the university level. The interpretation confirms that the legal text limiting parent members to schools under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act refers to the scope of the committee's jurisdiction rather than its physical installation site.