Beginning next year, the number of teachers at primary and secondary schools will be solely determined by each school’s enrollment.
 
The Ministry of Education Thursday made an advance notice of the revised enforcement rules concerning the number of teachers, which will effectuate the change.  
 
Previously, the ministry determined the number of teachers for a school based on the school’s enrollment, but modified the figure slightly depending on where the school was located.
 
Currently, a total of 17 education offices and all of the schools under their jurisdiction are divided into five areas. Points are added to or subtracted from each area in consideration of several factors aimed at balanced regional development, such as the population density of the area.
 
As a result, two schools with the same enrollment are assigned an unequal number of teachers if they are located in different regions.
 
Under the revision, however, the addition and subtraction of points will be scrapped and the number of teachers at a school will be determined only by its enrollment.
 
In order to transition smoothly, the ministry said the readjustment will be made gradually over the next five years.
 
The ministry will solicit public opinions about the plan until January 6 and implement the change in March.