정부 수립기의 사회교육 법제화 과정 분석

An Analysis of the Legislative Process of Social Education Law in the Government Establishment Period - Focused on the Legislation of the Social Education Law of 1949

본 연구는 1949년 처음 등장한 사회교육법안의 입법 과정을 역사사회학적 접근방식에 기초하여 살펴보았다. 정부 수립 전후 사회교육의 최우선 과제는 높은 문맹률의 문제를 해결하고 국민 전체의 공민적 자질을 함양하여 민도를 높이는 것이었다. 이러한 시대적 절실함은 정책으로 나타났고, 이것이 진화하여 1949년에 처음으로 사회교육법안이 등장하였다. 당시 사회교육법안은 문맹퇴치와 공민성 제고라는 시대과제가 그대로 반영된 것이었으며, 국회에 상정되었다는 점에서 이후 기초된 1952년 법안에 비해 역사적으로 더 큰 의의를 가진다. 그리고 사회교육법으로 통합되긴 했지만, 문맹퇴치 정책의 지속성과 안정성을 기하기 위한 법적 근거로서 성인교육법안과 부족했던 문화시설 등의 설치를 위한 사회교육법안이 동시에 기초되었다는 특징을 가진다. 하지만 국회 상정 후 교육법으로의 단일화 결정에서 사회교육법안은 사전에 충분한 검토•논의가 되지 못했다는 것, 교육3법의 사전 검토부터 국회 심의 후 공포까지 학교교육에 대한 성향이 짙은 인사들이 참여했고, 사회교육법 제정의 필요성에 대해 역설할 사람이 없었던 점 등의 원인으로 대안 폐기되었다. 결국 국회에 상정된 사회교육법은 교육법에 흡수•통합 되는 과정에서 사회교육 조항이 포함되었는데, 이는 학교교육의 제도 안에서 함께 논의될 수 있는 것으로 한정되었다. 즉 공민학교와 고등공민학교 등이 추가된 형태였다.

This study examines the legislative process of the Social Education Bill, which first appeared in 1949, based on a historical-sociological approach. The top priority task for social education around the time of the establishment of the government was to settle the problem of the high illiteracy rate and promote civil qualities in the entire people, thereby enhancing the living standards of the people. Such urgent needs of the times were reflected in policies, which evolved and gave rise to the first Social Education Bill in 1949. The Bill at the time has greater historical significance than the Bill of 1952 based on it in that it directly mirrored the tasks of the times―that is, a crusade against illiteracy and the improvement of civil qualities―and was introduced to the National Assembly. Moreover, although it was incorporated into the Social Education Act, the Act was based on the Adult Education Bill as a legal basis upon which the continuation and stability of the policy on a crusade against illiteracy can be pursued and the Social Education Bill for the establishment of cultural facilities that were lacking at the time. However, according to the decision of the unification as the Education Act after the introduction to the National Assembly, the Social Education Bill went through an alternative repeal for the following reasons. First, it lacked prior reviews and discussions. Moreover, from prior review of the three Education Acts to their proclamation following the consideration of the National Assembly, only people with a strong tendency toward school education were involved. In addition, there was no one to be emphatic about the necessity of the enactment of a Social Education Act. In a law-governed country as Korea, the continuation and stability of policies can be secured only with the enactment of relevant laws. The longtime movements and efforts toward the legislation of a Lifelong Education Act may be understood in this context. There is currently an enacted Lifelong Education Act, of course. Nonetheless, without continued interest in the Act, it would be degraded to an Act that is not capable of coping with the rapid changes of the times. Thus, studies and full discussions are necessary regarding the Lifelong Education Act in the future.