Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

Avoid overseas trips, schools told

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/02/26/200902260056.asp
Fewer students in Seoul are likely to go on school trips abroad this year as the Korean won continues to lose value, hitting an 11-year-low against the U.S. dollar.
Seoul City education authorities said yesterday they requested schools refrain from taking students overseas or costly training programs as the economic slump takes its toll on households.

The won lost 37 percent against the greenback in the past year, tumbling to 1,516.30 won per dollar on Tuesday, the lowest since March 13, 1998 when it closed at 1,521.

The number of Seoul schools that sent students abroad for an annual excursion continued to rise from less than 10 in 2004 to 64 last year.

Most schools sent students to Japan (45 schools) or China (27 schools). Some sent students to both countries.

The number of schools that chose China as their destination dropped from 38 in 2007 to 27 last year, after some high school students were suspected of paying to have sex on a school trip there two years ago. More schools turned to Japan instead.

But as the Korean won plunged to around 1,600 won per 100 yen, traveling to Japan has become more burdensome than ever.

Local education authorities are encouraging schools to take students to places within Korea. They are also asking schools not to send some students overseas and others to Korean destinations as this could cause division.

"Several schools that had planned overseas trips until late last year are changing their minds," a Seoul education official said.

About 14 percent of high schools in Seoul sent students abroad for their annual excursions in 2007, according to data released by a ruling party lawmaker last year.

Of the 299 high schools in the capital, 41 chose school trip destinations outside the country in 2007, in addition to four middle schools and 18 elementary schools, Rep. Kim Sun-dong of the Grand National Party said.

By Kim So-hyun


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[Smee]

Is it common for schools in Europe, or other places in Asia where countries are closer together, to take international trips?

Just glancing at the headline before reading the article I assumed it would be because it's too dangerous and hard to control students on trips. I mean, in Suncheon alone each of the past two years students were killed in bus accidents on mountain roads. Teachers always complain about the stress of these school trips, even when they're just to the county nextdoor, and parents bitch (rightfully so) whenever there's some kind of incident. But the students aren't happy taking trips to some mountain, or the riverside, or some park, but always want to go to Everland, or Jeju, or I guess in Seoul's case to Japan and China.

[Rum Jungle]

What's the point of this thread?
School Trips to China/Japan have been curtailed because of government cutbacks.
Got any opinion on it.

[wylies99]

[mike123_ca]

The students in my schools are so poor, I don't think any of them in their lifetime will be going overseas.