Seoul:

South Korean teachers are set to rally and sit out of work on Monday to demand better protection of their rights and what they say is widespread harassment by overbearing parents that has led to colleagues taking their own lives.

Complaints by parents and students of abuse by public school teachers, including allegations of child abuse to discipline students, have risen sharply after a young teacher was found dead in an apparent suicide in July .

Many teachers have vowed to take leave on Monday in protest. Government and school board officials have worked hard to prevent major disruptions to classrooms and have promised to take legal steps to better protect teachers.

The number of teachers staying away from class was not immediately clear, but local media said dozens of schools across the country were expected to close after teachers said they would not work.

Officials said the collective action by teachers to disrupt classes was illegal and warned of disciplinary measures. The South Korean teachers’ union is not involved in organizing the demonstrations on Monday, said Everyone Together As One, the group leading the protests.

“We will protect them (teachers) and make changes so that no more teachers take their own lives,” organizers said in a statement.

His office said President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday ordered officials to listen to the teachers’ demands and act to protect their rights.

In July, a primary school teacher was found dead at school after allegedly raising concerns over complaints from a parent over brawls between students.

Teachers across the country have since held vigils and demonstrations every weekend to mourn his death, which was followed by a rally on Saturday in which more than 200,000 teachers gathered near the National Assembly in Seoul.

Organizers said another 20,000 people were expected to take to the streets on Monday to join demonstrations near parliament.

One hundred public school teachers committed suicide in South Korea during the past six years through June. Government statistics show that seventy-five people are taught in primary schools.

South Korea has the highest suicide rate among developed countries, with more than 20 people taking their own lives per 100,000 population, according to figures from the World Health Organization and OECD.

The education ministry has vowed to stop incidents of teachers being punished for legitimate educational activity and improve communication between teachers and parents.

Under the government plan, teachers will be guaranteed the right to avoid calls from parents on their personal phones, among other measures.

“The number of reports of indiscriminate child abuse is on the rise, as the rights of students were overemphasized while the rights of teachers were not respected,” the ministry said in a release. “We will support teachers so that they can focus on education, free from the worry of indiscriminate complaints of child abuse.”