Korean Job Discussion Forums

poet13

My son is not Korean. Therefore he may not register in the Korean Education system.
This is what I learned on Monday. It's what I originally surmised, but a friend of my wifes swore it was possible.

Is it possible to have a child in school here? For those of you who do have children in school here, how does it work? Do you have to send them to an international school?

Horangi Munshin · Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Location: Busan

I bought a washing machine off a guy who had a non-Korean child going to an elementary school in Busan. Apparently the school had some foreign kids there, it wasn't an international school.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

One of the FTs in my district has a non-Korean daughter attending a local elementary school.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

poet13 · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:09 pm Post subject:

The people at the local gu? office told me that on Monday. They didn't know what to do, so they picked up the phone, made a couple of calls, and said that unless my son changed his citizenship tp Korean, it was impossible.
I don't blame them for not knowing. My son would be the first here. There are a bunch of mixed children (Kore-Phil, Kor-Viet, etc), but at least they have nationality here.

If anybody has a link I can go to and print the regs out, it would be VERY helpful.

I teach middle school, so my son wouldn't attend my school.

poet13 · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:07 pm Post subject:

I found this...

http://www.expat-advisory.com/south-korea/seoul/foreign-schools-seoul.php

"In Korea, there are several options for schooling available: attending a local Korean school, home-schooling or attending one of the international schools available to children who hold a non-Korean passport.
It is possible for foreigners to send their children to a Korean school. This option should probably only be considered if the child is in kindergarten or in primary school as the necessary language skills in both spoken and written Korean will need to be learned. A certificate of Registration issued by the Immigration Office is needed. The Korean school of choice can then be approached, but this should be done with the aid of a Korean speaker. Even then it is possible that the principal of the school may refuse admission."

which is promising...

and this...

http://english.mest.go.kr/main.jsp?idx=0901010101

which was of no help at all.

Anyone have the links? Thanks.

tatu · Joined: 23 Jun 2006

Its definitely possible. The two elementary schools near Itaewon have quite a few foriegn kids attending.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Not true.

There was a law passed just a year ago that allowed children of people doing DDD jobs the right to send their kids to school, and not have to worry about being stalked at school by immigration workers.

I'd have to think they need to let your child go to school there.

Toon Army · Joined: 12 Mar 2007

yes it`s certainly possible.

I know of an Italian University teacher here who has lived here 15 plus years and his kids attend Korean school here

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

The simplest solution would be to have YOUR principal, VP, head teacher or co-teacher (whomever you get along best with) give a quick call to the elementary school you want your child to attend.

You are a teacher. Problem solved (as long as your child can cope with the language issues).

Networking goes a LONG way when the idiots at the local office are too lazy to find the real answer.

ABC KID · Joined: 14 Sep 2007

This thread should give you some of the answers you are looking for and lots of useful information on top...

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=108785&highlight=

Countrygirl · Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Location: in the classroom

Yes, your kids should be able to go to a regular public school in Korea. My kids go to school here and they are Canadian. My husband speaks Korean but is Canadian Nationality. He told me that it was a human rights issue in Korea that all children can go to school regardless of nationality.

Sorry, I don't have a link. PM if things are not working out and I can get my husband to give you more specific info.

poet13 · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:44 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the link.
I'm not sure how much regular school I want him to attend here, but I think kindie is fine. I don't have a lot of respect for the school system and it's values, but until mummy (studying to be an elementary teacher) is squared awy with the newest child, she doesnt have time to teach him for a coupld of hours a day.

Countrygirl · Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Location: in the classroom