Korean Job Discussion Forums

[falco]

Anybody know if 40 minute hakwon classes are equal to an 'official' one contract hour? Someone I know well has just come to Korea and is currently teaching forty, 40-min classes every week. Is this legal?

Tried to find info on this previous but couldnt get any satisfactory answers.

[Blanca]

It depends on the wording of the contract. If your friend signed a contract saying he/she would teach 30 hours per week without specifying how many classes that would be, I'm afraid they're out of luck. My missus made that mistake at her kindergarten and was doing 42 per week for the last few months. My first school, on the other hand, stated that one 40-minute class equated to one class-hour and I never once went over my 30 classes per week.

I'm not aware of any labour law that will have been violated, although ttompatz will know for sure. I'm pretty sure as long as your friend isn't working more than 40 hours per week, the hagwon are well within the law (not that it would bother them if they weren't anway).

[modernseoul]

[tob55]

The old standard had 40 minutes equal to one hour for elementary children. When we approached the Office of Education concerning the number of hours per week and what constituted a one hour class for all levels, they gave us the following information:

Elementary: 50 minutes -- 1 class hour (40 minutes of that time should be involved in regular instruction), a minimum of 4 hours per week x ratio = monthly tuition

Middle School: 50 minutes -- 1 class hour (45 minutes of that time should be involved in regular instruction), a minimum of 4 hours per week x ratio = monthly tuition

High School: 60 minutes -- 1 class hour (50 minutes of that time should be involved in regular instruction), a minimum of 4 hours per week x ratio = monthly tuition

Adult Classes: Same as High School Scheme

So we multiply the number of instruction minutes x the ratio provided by the Education Office to determine what the rate of tuition is.

This is a long reply to the OPs original question, but I posted it to make the clarification about what is viewed as a "class hour" with regard to the different grade levels being taught. Hope this helps. Cheers

[beentheredonethat777]

[ontheway]

[falco]

Thanks for the info everyone.