Korean Job Discussion Forums

[daddy daycare]

I am thinking of applying to GEPIK, but I have a few questions....

I read through the contract, and saw the following:

DUTIES
3.To be involved in English day camps, extra-curricular classes, teacher training during school vacations.
4.To be involved in other educational duties relevant to English education as requested by Employer.
5.To conduct English Conversational Class(es) for Korean teachers and/or students� parents as requested by Employer.
6. To participate in GEPIK teachers� workshop(s) conducted by Employer

There is no mention about getting paid for this.??!! DOES that mean your holiday falls away?
Can anyone shed light on this who has had dealings with GEPIK...

DUTIES
1.To teach English with emphasis on speaking and writing as a GEPIK teacher at a school in Gyeonggi Province assigned by Employer

Does this mean I cant choose or decide where I want to go? What happens if I dont like the choice of area or school? Am I without a job then?
Can anyone shed light on this who has had dealings with GEPIK...


Employee shall be responsible for and protect Employer from any liability or damages arising from or in relation to any negligent, faulty, or illegal activity during the Term of Employment under this contract. Therefore, Employee shall agree in written form to provide 300,000 KRW per month to school administration office either on or by eighteenth (1 of every month for the first 3 months of employment until it amounts to a total of 900,000

What?? Can anyone shed light on this who has had dealings with GEPIK...


And if there is anything else, GOOD or BAD, about GEPIK that you can let me know, please feel free to do so.....

Awaiting your reply.....

[romano812]

Yes, there are some vague things in the contract, and because it is a public school it is highly unlikely you will be able to have anything rewritten.
I am supposed to teach 22 classes per week (this includes one class a week for teaching the Korean teachers). I have never actually taught this many and have never taught the Korean teachers because they aren't interested.
The students are on summer vacation from approximately the end of the 2nd week of July until the end of August. Teachers do not get all this time off. I had to teach a summer camp that amounted to 50 classes over 3 weeks. my holidays are from August 8th until the 26th. Some teachers have to attend seminars and write papers. It depends on what your school asks, I suppose.
GEPIK isn't a bad place to work, but as always read the contract carefully.

p.s. the 900,000 security deposit. No big deal. Every school I have seen, even hagwons ask for this. Mine has always been returned at the end of the contract.

[kabrams]

I teach 27 classes a week and get paid overtime for 5. Right now I am teaching summer camp for 3 weeks, and then I get 10 days (not including weekends) off. Some people only teach 2 days of summer camp. It depends on the school.

I did not choose where I wanted to go but I like my school and area.

Every month for three months, they take 300,000 out of your paycheck. At the end of the contract it will come back to you if nothing has gone wrong (i.e. you left before you contract was up).

Anyway, so far I like GEPIK.

[Shiktang]

What do GEPIK and SMOE stand for?

[lifeinkorea]

I am in the same situation as kabrams.

GEPIK is the association for the Gyeonggi-do area surrounding Seoul.
SMOE is for Seoul
EPIK is for everything else besides Gangnam (Busan, Masan, Daegu, etc...).

Gangnam has their own hiring system I understand.

[andrewchon]

GEPIK= Gyunggi-do English Program in Korea
SMOE= Seoul Ministry of Education

Gyunggi-do is a province/state/shire of ROK. Seoul and Incheun is not part of it. Seoul and Incheun have their own ministry of Education. However, Only Seoul and Gyunggi run their own English program. The rest of the country, whether they have their edu. min. or not is administered by EPIK.

The confusion, I think, comes from the idea that 'it's the system that matters'. SMOE, GEPIK, EPIK are just about all same systems, different names that's all. In Korea, 'it's people that matters'. Are the people running GEPIK alright? I think so.
As for duties: you will be paid. They are there to remind you that you are a teacher in and outside the classroom and out of the school as well. Vacations are for students; not teachers! If they want to keep learning during the off-time you have an obligation to teach'em because you're a pedagogue.

As for the key money: it's an anti-runner device. The wording is complicated because of legal mumbo-jumbo. Put it simply: the school used to take 300,000 out of your first 3 paycheck, but that turned out to be an illegal thing, so now you payback the school the key money in three installments. The school has paid the key money already out of their own.

As for the choice of school: I doubt whether you have the capacity to judge a school by its cover. Yes, if you don't like the location it's tough luck for you.

[wylies99]

Just wanted to let some of you know that there are GEPIK, EPIK, SMOE, and other groups on facebook.

[wylies99]

[Rory_Calhoun27]

[daddy daycare]

So I just want to see if I understand it now...... w.r.t school choice...

They place you where they deem you belong, and you cant tell them you want to live and work in a city or town of your choice....??

If I tell them I want a school in City X, will they accomodate me???

Anyone asked this question and was granted your wish ??

[Epicurus]

[romano812]

Just like in Canada the public schools are divided into school divisions. Each division oversees a group of schools. When you sign a contract it is with the division, not the school. The division can decide to place you at any school or grade level they want within their division. SMOE can not place you in a school out of their division. In terms of transferring you to a different school or class during the year, I don't know the regulations here in Korea. I have heard people complaining because SMOE has the option of making teachers work at more than one school.

[Epicurus]

[romano812]

Take a look at your contract. Mine is also signed by myself and the principal of my school. However, it states he has signed as a representative of GEPIK, not the school. As such, you can still be sent anywhere in the division they like.

[Epicurus]