Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Oreovictim]

My school hired a company that delivers a daily lunch for the kindy kids. The lunches aren't bad - rice, soup, kimchi, a main dish, and about four side dishes. The parents pay for this + the tuition or maybe it's included with the tuition, not sure. Nevertheless, they shell out about 1,000,000 a month, so the kids should get a decent meal.

Last month, the kindy kids graduated, and we got a new wave of students. The school canceled the service, and the owner's mother cooks all the meals now. Her cooking's really horrible - rice, kimchi, soup, and about two side dishes. Most of the kids gag a lot now. And my coworker and I just step out for lunch. Perhaps the owner picked this exact time on purpose. The new kids can't compare the putrid food with the quality food from before. But if they did, would you, as a parent, take a "Mom, Dad, school's food is yucky." from a six-year old seriously?

I mentioned all of this to one of my trustful K-coworkers, and he said, "Yeah, they're just pocketing the money."

Anyone come across this?

[cdninkorea]

It's too bad the food sucks, but they're just cutting costs like any business. Maybe they shouldn't considering the high tuition, but if the food's that bad parents can vote with their pocketbooks and go elsewhere.

[RyanInKorea]

The ol' collect lunch money and get my mother-in-law to cook at home scam. It'll get you every time.

Sometimes, I swear you kids are new to this world,
Ryan

[Beej]

I wouldnt call it a scam.

[Arthur Dent]

I remember reading a few years ago that the government had put restrictions on how much schools (kindies) could charge. The schools have had trouble with reduced enrollment (30% fewer youth - and thus hagwons and elementary schools - in Korea compared with 10 years ago) and so tended to charge more for the kindy set - the dwindling market.
When the government stepped in with caps on rates, the schools simply put the missing $ (or Won) into the food column - and maybe into the materials column (books, etc.).

A school I used to work for had a cook who made all the school lunches, and some dinners for the older kids. The food was passable, but that's about it. Much like you, I rarely ate it. It isn't that it was Korean food, it just wasn't very tasty.

One of the parents, who is now a friend, told me that his son never liked the food either - and he runs a good restaurant.

As usual, law runs a distant second to Won.

[John_ESL_White]

Do you like teaching kindy? I have nightmares about 2nd graders. I can't imagine kindy.

anyway, the food: school has to make money. The more the better, for them and for you.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Straphanger]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[moosehead]

I disagree that the moms won't find out/don't care/won't listen to their kids.

they will - and then they'll come in and pay a visit, first one, and then another, and next thing you know, they'll straighten out the director.

and OP - if you want to help out - next time the kids say something about the food, say if you don't like it, tell your mom, no seriously, you should let your mom know.

[ontheway]

[buymybook]

Is T-J the owner of this hagwon? It's terrible that he or anyone would serve terrible food to children. Hagwon owners are probably hurting in this current economy and are looking to cut corners wherever possible. Hagwon owners know all about scams!

[Young FRANKenstein]

[moosehead]

[Oreovictim]