ID :
194517
Tue, 07/12/2011 - 12:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/194517
The shortlink copeid
Expedite the passage of a law against schooling discrimination for job seekers
SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) plans to pass a law bill during the upcoming special parliamentary session next month that would prohibit discrimination against job seekers based on their educational background.
The GNP initiated the bill in May last year, but the handling of the bill has been stalemated. The bill calls for the abolition of schooling discrimination in recruiting exams of public and private firms and in exams for state licenses. Proprietors of companies that violate the law will be charged penalties of up to 30 million won (US$28,000).
The prohibition of schooling discrimination has been pointed out as a prerequisite to the halving of college tuition costs. We hope the opposition parties will cooperate for the passage of the bill in the August session.
The ratio of high school graduates entering colleges and universities in South Korea hovers around 80 percent, which is the highest in the world. The ratio in advanced countries like the United States, Sweden and the Netherlands is between 40 and 50 percent.
With eight of 10 high school graduates going to colleges, there will be many college graduates, many of whom will end up unemployed.
An increase in the number of unemployed college graduates is a tragedy for their families and for the nation. However, the rush to enter colleges has not cooled down because job seekers without college degrees face substantial discrimination. High school graduates who never went to college are not only discriminated against in recruitment exams of companies, but also in their salaries and promotions. The average salary gap between college graduates and high school graduates who did not attend college was 154.4 to 100 last year.
Last year, the government announced it will abolish or mitigate schooling requirements in the recruiting and promotion processes of all public agencies.
However, a recent audit of Korea Asset Management Corporation showed deepening discrimination against people whose schooling did not exceed high school or junior college, proving that the government's efforts to address the discriminatory practices have not been effective.
So now is the time to enact a law to abolish discrimination against job seekers based on their school backgrounds in order to cure wrongdoings in our education-oriented society.
To this end, the government's efforts alone are not sufficient. The cooperation of the business community is very essential. It is worth noting that the Industrial Bank of Korea revised its process of recruiting high school graduates and that big companies such as Samsung Electronics Co. have promised to recruit special-purpose high school graduates.
We expect that the law bill banning educational discrimination will pass the parliament next month and more job opportunities will be available for high school graduates.
The GNP initiated the bill in May last year, but the handling of the bill has been stalemated. The bill calls for the abolition of schooling discrimination in recruiting exams of public and private firms and in exams for state licenses. Proprietors of companies that violate the law will be charged penalties of up to 30 million won (US$28,000).
The prohibition of schooling discrimination has been pointed out as a prerequisite to the halving of college tuition costs. We hope the opposition parties will cooperate for the passage of the bill in the August session.
The ratio of high school graduates entering colleges and universities in South Korea hovers around 80 percent, which is the highest in the world. The ratio in advanced countries like the United States, Sweden and the Netherlands is between 40 and 50 percent.
With eight of 10 high school graduates going to colleges, there will be many college graduates, many of whom will end up unemployed.
An increase in the number of unemployed college graduates is a tragedy for their families and for the nation. However, the rush to enter colleges has not cooled down because job seekers without college degrees face substantial discrimination. High school graduates who never went to college are not only discriminated against in recruitment exams of companies, but also in their salaries and promotions. The average salary gap between college graduates and high school graduates who did not attend college was 154.4 to 100 last year.
Last year, the government announced it will abolish or mitigate schooling requirements in the recruiting and promotion processes of all public agencies.
However, a recent audit of Korea Asset Management Corporation showed deepening discrimination against people whose schooling did not exceed high school or junior college, proving that the government's efforts to address the discriminatory practices have not been effective.
So now is the time to enact a law to abolish discrimination against job seekers based on their school backgrounds in order to cure wrongdoings in our education-oriented society.
To this end, the government's efforts alone are not sufficient. The cooperation of the business community is very essential. It is worth noting that the Industrial Bank of Korea revised its process of recruiting high school graduates and that big companies such as Samsung Electronics Co. have promised to recruit special-purpose high school graduates.
We expect that the law bill banning educational discrimination will pass the parliament next month and more job opportunities will be available for high school graduates.
