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Changes to Gangnam District public school
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Ruthdes



Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 9:27 pm    Post subject: Changes to Gangnam District public school Reply with quote

I started working for Gangnam District Public School this semester, and recently about 10 of us (who were in the first half of our contracts) were told we would have to switch school for the second half (starting March 1). We're all being moved within Gangnam and will retain the benefits have in our current contract.

Apparently, the reason this is happening is that SMOE will be taking over the NSETs' management from GD in 2013. They want to replace at least one Gangnam teacher in each school with a SMOE teacher in the first half of the year. This teacher will presumably have the lower pay, benefits and class requirement that goes with a SMOE contract (dependent on qualifications).

While this is an inconvenience, there is a bigger problem, which is that no one will be "renewed" in September. If any remaining Gangnam teachers wish to remain working at their school or another in the district, they will be rehired (presumably with the lower paying SMOE contract).

The contact people at Gangnam District have been quite sympathetic, apologetic and helpful while explaining these changes. However, I wonder how SMOE hopes to retain qualified and experienced teachers if this is how they act. I know they are trying to remove NSETs from public schools over the next few years, but surely you'd try to retain your best staff in the meantime.

Some of this I was told directly, and some I have worked out by joining the dots. What have others heard?
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jvalmer



Joined: 06 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just hope a conservative wins the next Seoul Mayor election, and national election too.
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Ruthdes



Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why?
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Otherside



Joined: 06 Sep 2007

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Simply put it comes down to finances (imo). A Gangnam teacher earns about 2.5mill/month +900k housing allowance, for a total of 3.4mill.
An SMOE teacher earns about 2.1-2.2. + 500k housing. for a total of 2.6-2.7m.

That's a saving of about 900k per month, per teacher or, over the course of the year, it's almost 11million won. Your argument about retaining better staff is partly valid. There are good teachers working in public schools across Korea, not just in Gangnam. Salaries have remained stagnant, and believe it or not, the quality of teacher has increased. Obviously this is due to macro issues outside of Korea, but it's still the reality.

SMOE has started phasing teachers out of middle and high schools (have they finished?), and there is word that GEPIK will be doing the same (as of today, they don't know whether they'll be rehiring the middle and high school teachers in March). So, while SMOE may lose a few good teachers in Gangnam next year, I have little doubt they'll find plenty of equally qualified and skilled teachers to replace them, many of whom will have lost their jobs from other government programmes.
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jvalmer



Joined: 06 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 10:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ruthdes wrote:
Why?

It was conservative governments that has promoted this increase of foreign english teachers in public schools. The liberal side wants to heavily curtail it, or eliminate it altogether.
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Ruthdes



Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 10:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

But presumably it's the conservative government cutting it now?
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Ruthdes



Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Otherside wrote:
Simply put it comes down to finances (imo). A Gangnam teacher earns about 2.5mill/month +900k housing allowance, for a total of 3.4mill.
An SMOE teacher earns about 2.1-2.2. + 500k housing. for a total of 2.6-2.7m.

That's a saving of about 900k per month, per teacher or, over the course of the year, it's almost 11million won. Your argument about retaining better staff is partly valid. There are good teachers working in public schools across Korea, not just in Gangnam. Salaries have remained stagnant, and believe it or not, the quality of teacher has increased. Obviously this is due to macro issues outside of Korea, but it's still the reality.

SMOE has started phasing teachers out of middle and high schools (have they finished?), and there is word that GEPIK will be doing the same (as of today, they don't know whether they'll be rehiring the middle and high school teachers in March). So, while SMOE may lose a few good teachers in Gangnam next year, I have little doubt they'll find plenty of equally qualified and skilled teachers to replace them, many of whom will have lost their jobs from other government programmes.

All true. I wasn't trying to say that other areas don't have good teachers, but Gangnam District seemed to put a lot of effort into finding experienced teachers compared to the other bodies.

It's a shame. I really like my current school and the kids are awesome. I hope my new school will be as friendly and welcoming.

I suppose the take home message is that public school of any variety is not stable (I was thinking that Gangnam was more reliable than SMOE when I was applying). I'll be looking for another job for September 2013.
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Otherside



Joined: 06 Sep 2007

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 10:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nope it's the liberal government who is cutting it now.

The Mayor of Seoul and the education superintendent are both liberals, and Seoul is leading the charge to cut down on NETs.

This is a topic for another discussion, but in Korea, the liberals are far more "anti-foreigner" than the conservatives. Most of the positive changes for long-term foreign residents in Korea (not really focused on NETs, but rather foreign brides etc). have come from the conservative side. Things like F2 point visas, dual-citizenship, support for foreign brides to better integrate.
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ThingsComeAround



Joined: 07 Nov 2008

PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 3:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

SMOE hopes to retain qualified and experienced teachers that are willing to take a pay-cut. Not likely, but they don't care too much. I'm surprised Gangnam public school system lasted as long as it did...
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Gorf



Joined: 25 Jun 2011

PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, what a great idea. Give the richest district in the country special autonomy. I'm sure there's not any kind of fund mismanagement going on there or special appropriations that kids outside of the district won't get. No sir, not at all.
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NohopeSeriously



Joined: 17 Jan 2011
Location: The Christian Right-Wing Educational Republic of Korea

PostPosted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 6:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gorf wrote:
Yes, what a great idea. Give the richest district in the country special autonomy. I'm sure there's not any kind of fund mismanagement going on there or special appropriations that kids outside of the district won't get. No sir, not at all.


Conservatives or liberals influencing Seoul.... both of them are already destroying Seoul's public education system.

One of my NET friends works in Uijeongbu and this city has already kicked out most of the NETs in public schools despite having a conservatively-leaned city-level school board.

BTW, Liberals are not anti-foreigners. They just don't like Conservative-led policies. Liberals happened to be "anti-foreign" just because of random reasons from the ruling conservative party. Either way, the current liberal mayor of Seoul is doing a better job than the previous conservative one. This is enough for your average Korean citizens in Seoul to stop complaining.
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newb



Joined: 27 Aug 2012
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 6:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
One of my NET friends works in Uijeongbu and this city has already kicked out most of the NETs in public schools despite having a conservatively-leaned city-level school board.


It's a good thing. We need less NETs in PS.
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TheUrbanMyth



Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired

PostPosted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

newb wrote:
Quote:
One of my NET friends works in Uijeongbu and this city has already kicked out most of the NETs in public schools despite having a conservatively-leaned city-level school board.


It's a good thing. We need less NETs in PS.



It's a good thing people are losing their jobs?


It's a good thing there are less job opportunities for foreign teachers?


Mind explaining why?
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newb



Joined: 27 Aug 2012
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 8:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TheUrbanMyth wrote:
newb wrote:
Quote:
One of my NET friends works in Uijeongbu and this city has already kicked out most of the NETs in public schools despite having a conservatively-leaned city-level school board.


It's a good thing. We need less NETs in PS.



It's a good thing people are losing their jobs?


It's a good thing there are less job opportunities for foreign teachers?


Mind explaining why?


There are way too many transient NETs, me think.
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ThingsComeAround



Joined: 07 Nov 2008

PostPosted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

newb wrote:
TheUrbanMyth wrote:
newb wrote:
Quote:
One of my NET friends works in Uijeongbu and this city has already kicked out most of the NETs in public schools despite having a conservatively-leaned city-level school board.


It's a good thing. We need less NETs in PS.



It's a good thing people are losing their jobs?


It's a good thing there are less job opportunities for foreign teachers?


Mind explaining why?


There are way too many transient NETs, me think.


Things like this happen that encourages transient behavior... Razz
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