CAREER EDUCATION ACT

Article 1(Purpose) #

The purpose of this Act is to provide students with various opportunities to receive career education in order for them to adapt actively to the changing occupational world and to capitalize on their talents and aptitudes, thereby increasing the happiness of people's lives and economic and social development.

Article 2(Definitions) #

The terms used in this Act are defined as follows: <Amended on Mar. 23, 2021>

1. The term "career education" means activities by the State, local governments, etc., for providing students with career classes, career personality and aptitude test, vocational guidance counselling, career information, vocational experience, support for employment, etc., through cooperation between schools and local communities to enable the students to understand the occupational world and to search and design their careers based on their talents and aptitudes;

2. The term "vocational guidance counselling" means activities of providing students with career information, vocational advice and guidance, etc. (including online activities);

3. The term "vocational experience" means vocational experience through which students visit job sites to talk with workers therein, field trips, or experience, and activities of participating in vocational education programs conducted in and out of school, such as career camps and special lectures on careers;

4. The term "career information" means information required for students to choose their careers, which comprises information on the actual students, jobs, and the social environment including the labor market, etc.;

5. The term "class" means a class prescribed in Article 24 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Article 3(Relationship with other Acts) #

Except as otherwise expressly provided for in other Acts, this Act shall apply to career education.

Article 4(Basic directions of career education) #

(1) The purpose of career education is to instill in students the capability of career development, which enable them to define and continuously develop career paths independently, so as to adapt to the changing occupational world and the society of lifelong learning.

(2) Each student is entitled to receive career education suitable to his or her developmental stages, talents, and aptitudes.

(3) Career education shall be conducted on the basis of students' participation and job experience.

(4) Career education shall be conducted by utilizing various social infrastructure, with the cooperation and participation of the State and local community. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2021>

Article 5(Obligations of State, local government) #

(1) The State and local governments shall take measures necessary to invigorate career education suitable to students' developmental stages, talents, and aptitudes.

(2) The State and local governments shall take measures for conducting career education for people requiring society’s assistance, such as disabled persons, North Korean refugees, students from low-income families, and out-of-school juveniles.

(3) Central administrative agencies, local governments, public institutions subject to the Act on the Management of Public Institutions (hereinafter referred to as "public institutions") and local public enterprises subject to the Local Public Enterprises Act shall provide opportunities for vocational experiences as prescribed by the Minister of Education.

Article 6(Survey on current status of career education) #

(1) To formulate policies for career education, the Minister of Education shall conduct surveys on the status of vocational education, including the status of human resources and facilities related to career education and operation of career education programs, and publish the findings thereof.

(2) Matters necessary for the detailed questions of the survey on the status of career education referred to in paragraph (1), procedures conducting the same, and for publishing the findings thereof, shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 7(Prohibition of disclosure of facts learned in course of performing one's duties) #

No person currently or formerly in charge of career education shall disclose to any third person, any fact he or she has become aware of in the course of performing his or her duties, without any justifiable reason.

Article 8(Goals and standards of accomplishment of career education) #

(1) The National Education Commission may determine basic matters of the goals and standards for accomplishment of career education based upon the development stages of students of schools referred to in Article 2 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (hereinafter referred to as "elementary and secondary schools") and upon the type of school; and a superintendent of education may determine the goals and standards for accomplishment of career education suitable to the status of the region within the scope determined by the National Education Commission. <Amended on Jul. 20, 2021>

(2) The National Education Commission and a superintendent of education shall reflect the goals and standards for accomplishment of career education referred to in paragraph (1) in the curriculum. <Amended on Jul. 20, 2021>

(3) Matters necessary for the establishment and implementation of the goals and standards for accomplishment of career education under paragraphs (1) and (2), shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 9(Teachers exclusively responsible for coaching careers) #

(1) The Minister of Education and a superintendent of education shall assign to elementary and secondary schools, teachers exclusively responsible for career coaching for students (hereinafter referred to as "dedicated career coaches").

(2) The Minister of Education and a superintendent of education may assign to elementary and secondary schools, specialists who assist dedicated career coaches.

(3) A dedicated career coach may provide career counseling during class hours after consultation with the relevant teacher in charge; in such cases the time for career counselling shall be deemed class hours.

(4) Matters necessary for the standards for assignment of dedicated career coaches, qualifications, activities, etc., of specialists referred to in paragraph (2), shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 10(Vocational personality and aptitude testing) #

(1) The heads of elementary and secondary schools may require students to take vocational personality and aptitude tests on careers to understand their talents and aptitudes and use the findings therefrom as materials for career counselling (hereinafter referred to as a "vocational personality and aptitude test").

(2) The Minister of Education may propose standards for management of vocational personality and aptitude tests suitable to development stages of students.

Article 11(Vocational guidance counselling) #

(1) The heads of elementary and secondary schools shall provide students with vocational guidance counselling to help them search and select their careers.

(2) The heads of elementary and secondary schools may hear opinions of the guardians of the students about the careers of such students.

Article 12(Organization and management of vocational experience curriculum) #

(1) The Minister of Education and a superintendent of education shall organize and manage curriculum to provide students with opportunities for various vocational experience.

(2) Time of vocational experience spent in accordance with school curriculum shall be deemed class hours.

(3) Matters necessary for the organization and management of vocational experience curriculum and recognition of classes, shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 13(Intensive academic year or semester for career education) #

(1) Notwithstanding Article 24 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, in setting a specific academic year or semester, a superintendent of education may manage an intensive academic year or semester for career education during which vocational experience curriculum is intensively managed.

(2) Matters necessary for the management of an intensive academic year or semester for career education under paragraph (1), shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 14(Career education in universities and colleges) #

(1) The heads of universities, colleges, industrial colleges, and junior colleges under Article 2 of the Higher Education Act (hereinafter referred to as "universities and colleges") may conduct career education.

(2) The Minister of Education may provide support necessary for the career education conducted by universities and colleges.

Article 15(National career education center) #

(1) The Minister of Education may manage a career education center (hereinafter referred to as the "National Career Education Center") by designating an exclusive agency for supporting career education and subsidize expenses incurred in the performance of its duties.

(2) The National Career Education Center shall perform the following duties:

1. Formulation of the goals and standards for accomplishment of career education;

2. Establishment and management of a career information network;

3. Development of career psychology test;

4. Support for vocational guidance counselling;

5. Development of vocational experience programs;

6. Development of contents of career education;

7. Education for dedicated career coaches;

8. Survey and assessment of status of career education;

9. International exchange and cooperation on career education;

10. Other matters requested by the Minister of Education for career education.

(3) Matters necessary for the designation and management of, and support for the National Career Education Center shall be prescribed by Decree of the Ministry of Education.

Article 16(Regional career education center) #

(1) In connection with the National Career Education Center, a superintendent of education may, establish and manage a regional career education center or designate and manage an exclusive agency that provides career information; vocational personality and aptitude test and vocational guidance counselling; develops and disseminates contents of career education; and manages and provides support for, vocational experience, etc., suitable to the relevant regional circumstances.

(2) Matters necessary for the organization and management of a regional career education center and designation, etc. of an exclusive agency under paragraph (1), shall be prescribed by a municipal ordinance.

Article 17(Regional career education council) #

(1) In order to support and advise on career education, a superintendent of education may organize and manage a regional career education council participated by a local government, public institutions, universities and colleges, local community organizations, etc.

(2) Matters necessary for the organization, management, etc., of a regional career education council shall be prescribed by ordinance of a City/Do.

Article 18(Support for vocational experience) #

(1) The State and a local government may provide administrative and financial support to corporations, institutions, organizations, etc. that provides schools and students with vocational experience to enable such students to experience various vocations (hereinafter referred to as "vocational experience providers").

(2) The State and a local government shall establish a system to seek vocational experience providers and to provide information thereon.

(3) Matters necessary for providing support under paragraph (1) and the establishment and management of an information-providing system under paragraph (2), shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 19(Certification of institutions providing vocational experience through provision of free education) #

(1) The Minister of Education may certify an institution providing vocational experience to students free of charge, as an education-donor institution providing vocational experience.

(2) The Minister of Education may delegate his or her authority for certification under paragraph (1), to a superintendent of education.

(3) Matters necessary for the standards, procedures, etc. for certification under paragraph (1), shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Article 20(Establishment of cooperation system) #

(1) A superintendent of education shall establish a system to cooperate on invigorating vocational experience, etc., with the heads of universities and colleges and the head of a local government.

(2) The head of a local government and a superintendent of education may establish, operate, and provide support for the facilities, including facilities for vocational experience, and programs related to career education.

Article 21(Participation of guardians) #

(1) The Minister of Education and a superintendent of education shall take necessary measures for guardians of students, local community celebrities, graduates, etc., to participate in career education of students.

(2) The Minister of Education and a superintendent of education may provide guardians, etc. who participate in career education under paragraph (1) with information sessions, training, etc., pertaining to career education.

Article 22(Contents of career education) #

(1) The Minister of Education and a superintendent of education shall develop and disseminate various contents necessary for career education.

(2) The Minister of Education may support the Office of Education, education-related research institutes, etc. of the Special Metropolitan City, a Metropolitan City, a Metropolitan Autonomous City, a Do or Special Self-Governing Province (hereinafter referred to as "City/Do") to develop and disseminate contents of career education.

Article 23(Assessment of career education of office of education of City/Do) #

(1) In order to support the development of career education of a City/Do and to ease the disparity, etc. of career education between Cities and Dos, the Minister of Education may assess the career education of the Office of Education of a City/Do and provide administrative and financial support as a follow-up measure on the result thereof.

(2) A superintendent of education may conduct a self-assessment for the purposes of assessment referred to in paragraph (1).

(3) Matters necessary for the assessment subject to paragraph (1) shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.