Women hold nearly one-third of top positions in Seoul's public schools

SEOUL, Jan. 29 (Yonhap) -- The percentage of administrative positions in Seoul's
public schools held by women surpassed 30 percent this year, an educational body
said Thursday.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, women hold 31.3 percent
or 771 out of 2,476 such positions -- principals, assistant principals and school
inspectors at elementary, junior and senior high schools -- as of this month.
Women accounted for 20.8 percent of all principals, 36.5 percent of all vice
principals and 38.1 percent of all inspectors.
The education office's policy has been to have at least 30 percent of its
principal positions filled by women to advance their role in the education sector
and to prevent male domination at the administrative level.
Thanks in part to the policy, along with other societal changes, the percentage
of female headmasters and vice headmasters at public and private schools in Seoul
increased from 11.6 percent in 1978 to 23.3 percent in 2007.
The education office expects that number will continue to grow as more women
enter the field. Women already account for 90 percent of staff in primary schools
and 50 percent in secondary schools.
"In the near future, about half of all school principal and inspector positions
will be filled by women," an official from the office said. "Now we should come
up with measures to attract more male teachers."
brk@yna.co.kr
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