The right to learn refers to the inherent right granted to every human being from birth, which enables individuals to develop their personality through learning, realize human dignity and value, and pursue holistic growth and development as human bein...
The right to learn refers to the inherent right granted to every human being from birth, which enables individuals to develop their personality through learning, realize human dignity and value, and pursue holistic growth and development as human beings. It possesses the nature of a negative liberty right, ensuring that individuals are free from interference by state power or third parties in the exercise of their right to learn, and at the same time, it is understood as an innate natural-law right related to the essential growth and development of human beings. Furthermore, the right to learn goes beyond merely guaranteeing the freedom of learning; it also possesses the nature of a social right that enables individuals to demand the state to actively ensure the improvement of educational conditions as well as the substantive equality of educational opportunities. The term “improvement of educational conditions” refers to the organization and enhancement of human, material, and financial systems necessary for the realization of the right to learn. The determination of whether the constitutional right to receive education has been violated requires, first, the establishment of an “adequate standard” of educational conditions necessary for education. A violation may be found when the conditions fall below the minimum level deemed appropriate in light of relevant statutory standards. Furthermore, based on a comprehensive review of the Constitutional Court’s decisions and the Supreme Court’s rulings, the “minimum standard of educational conditions” for determining the infringement of the constitutional right to receive education may be understood as including the following situations: ①where the burden imposed on students is excessively heavy; ②where there exists a significant disparity in educational environments among schools; ③ where the educational conditions are severely inadequate; and ④where the ancillary facilities essential for learning cannot be used normally for a period of two months or longer. The examination, which regulates the On-board Training of Maritime and Fisheries High Schools, is a legal order and is binding on students. However, beyond the internal and external limitations of administrative legislation mandated by the Constitution or law, the conditions of "Number of students per class," "Seagoing experience required for licensing," and "Bridge watchkeeping duty" did not meet the "minimum standards of educational conditions" and violated students' right to learn. In order to protect the infringed right to learn of students through ex post remedies, it is necessary to amend certain provisions of the On-board Training Program for Merchant Marine Officers, the On-board Training Program for Fishing Vessel Officers, and the Standards for Designated Educational Institutions. In addition, the “Minimum Standards of Educational Conditions” should be incorporated into the scope of internal and external evaluations under the Maritime Education Quality Standards. Through such measures — such as verifying compliance during evaluation processes, ensuring continuous efforts for improvement, identifying critical deficiencies, and implementing corrective actions — the students’ right to learn during On-board Training can be effectively protected within the maritime education quality system. Keywords: the student's right to study, on-board training, improvement of educational conditions, the number of students per class, sea service required for the issuance of a license, bridge watchkeeping duties