Korean Job Discussion Forums

[maingman]

The Education Ministry will fully implement the controversial teacher evaluation system starting in March 2010, despite opposition from unionized teachers.

Under the plan, all teachers at elementary, middle and high schools will be evaluated by principals, vice principals, parents and fellow teachers.

The government aims to complete related legislation within the first half of next year.

The assessment system, aimed to improve quality of public education, is currently conducted at 669 pilot schools. It will be expanded to all schools across the nation, the ministry said in a report released during a parliamentary audit yesterday.

Along with new measures for school choice, the government is considering rewarding teachers based on their evaluation results.

Nearly 66 percent of parents support the teacher evaluation, while about 58 percent of teachers are against it, according to a survey unveiled yesterday by Rep. Kwon Young-jin of the ruling Grand National Party.

A GNP-affiliated research institute conducted the survey of 1,245 parents and 932 teachers.

The government also said it would encourage more schools to provide separate classes for students of different proficiency levels in math, English or Korean.

It also plans to support schools to provide students and parents with a wider choice of instructors for after-school classes in a bid to reduce dependence on private education.

Some 67 percent of the 85,000 instructors of music, art or sports sessions are from outside organizations such as hagwon. As for the after-school classes of subjects such as English or math, only 7.7 percent of the 102,000 teachers are from outside the school.

Meanwhile, Seoul's top education official Kong Jung-tack did not appear at the parliamentary audit yesterday. Lawmakers summoned him to testify about a controversy surrounding private institutes' donation for his campaign. The superintendent filed a note that he was hospitalized due to high blood pressure, but both ruling and opposition lawmakers slammed him for irresponsibility.

Kim So-hyun ([email protected])

[laogaiguk]

In no way should parents ever be allowed to evaluate teachers. Ever! They can complain about teachers if needed, but that is it.