Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Yesterday]

Today (2007-10-24) the SEOUL (department) Office of Education...

faxed to every Public school in Seoul a notice to the principal - ordering the principal/school to make any "Foreign teacher" employed at the school to do this...

(1) on either 2007-10-24 or 2007-10-25 the "foreign teacher" must present themselves to the office within the school...

(2) in the presence of the "head teacher" or "vice-principal/principal" the "foreign teacher" must bring up their "University web-site/page" on the computer - and type in their former student number and password...

... according to the "Education office" this is to verify the teachers "Real name" and "academic qualifications".......

I was asked to do this today at my school... along with many other "foreign" teachers at other Public schools around Seoul.....

(Obviously - same as in most other countries (so I m not blaming this completely on Korean gov't idiots) - but it seems the Education Office does NOT communicate with the Immigration Office - which would verify with them that our "sealed transcripts, degrees, etc have ALREADY been checked)....

So I questioned them as to why they would come up with this "ridiculous" new order...

they told me - (1) many "foreign" teachers in Korea are using "fake names"...

and (2) because of the "bad Canadian" events of 1~2 weeks ago...

(so I figure a police check/criminal history from home country would be more of an appropriate request - (based on the excuses they gave) though even that could take 6 weeks ~ 3 months to get)......

So this has to be a crazy (un-researched) idea by the Education Office...

(1) not only have most of us already had to attend the Immigration Office and submit our "sealed transcripts"...

(2) BUT unlike Koreans who have attended University - and LOVE to log into the "former Universities" websites every other week to chat to old friends, keep up with the latest gossip and clubs, forums etc... - THEY DO NOT REALISE that in Foreign countries - such as our home-countries - Universities usually STOP students from logging in to the Universities web-site after the student has graduated...

.....basically if we are NO LONGER a student at our "former universities" - it is IMPOSSIBLE to log in... (not all univerisites have an alumni club)

.....and many teachers who finished uni many years ago - cannot even remember their student number or password...


so once again... the Government departments in Korea have once again placed another "NECESSITY" on all Public teachers within Seoul - to do something - but this time its almost impossible to do...

please let me know - if anyone else has been asked to do this - either today or tomorrow by their public school...

because either (1) - many teachers will not be able to do it - and therefore suffer some sort of "penalty" the after the Education Office figures this out - they will have to "scrap" the idea and come up with another plan (which has probably already been done by the Immigration Office - (the "sealed trabnscripts")..

what on Earth were these idiots at the Education Office thinking when they "brainstormed" this idea and sent the faxes out yesterday??

[shaunew]

I was asked by my head teacher about my degree. She has a photo copy o it. I'm on f-2-1 so no need for transcripts. I said yes she typed some stuff on the Education website I believe. I guess I will find out more. But don't really care I have an f-2-1. Technically I don't even need a degree to teach.

[Octavius Hite]

Usually a school has an Alumni website where you can log in and see whats going on at school and they can hit you up for money. Do you get an alumni newsletter? That might also do.

They asked me and I logged in for them and let them copy my alumni membership card (it has my name and the year I graduated and my degree printed on it).


TIK, lol.

[Jarome_Turner]

I got a call at 6:00pm today from our head teacher. He told me I must bring my original degree to school tomorow to send to the education office. I told him my original degree is in Canada, and I've already presented it to immigration. He asked me if I could get it sent from Canada. My contract is up Feb. 28th and I'm out of here as soon as it's expired.... there's no way I see it happening.

I actually have my degree here, I just refuse to give it to them again. What the hell does the education office want with it? It's already been verified by immigration 4 times over the past 3 years.

[kprrok]

[harryh]

My school boss has asked for this information. But, I never used my university's website between 1993 and 1996 when I graduated. I'm not sure I ever saw a university website to be honest.

I offered my student number, Date of Birth, Courses studied and passed, dates of attendance , and the phone and fax number of the Academic Registry. But....... they wanted to verify my degree through the website. I'll wait to see what happens.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[hogwonguy1979]

dont forget some people went to univ long before they had any intranet system for students to use.

alumni websites are only for keeping up at whats going on at old state u and a way to hit you up for money. i was getting stuff for a while from a school i attended but flunked out of (due to family reasons) so they cant even verify if you graduated from them, just attended the school in question

[njp6]

Does this method actually catch any illegal teachers or peds? I don't think so. It's another thing done just for appearances that's a pain in the arse for real teachers. I think it's a good idea to have background checks, but talk about going about it the wrong way.

[mindmetoo]

[SPINOZA]

[marlow]

[ajgeddes]

I went to my school's website today. I graduated in 2004 and there is absolutely no proof on that website that I attended the school and there is nothing I can sign into. Sweet. I doubt they will check me anyways.

[Octavius Hite]

They asked me for a criminal background check.

I told them they had to take me to the Korean police station and then pay for me to send it to the RCMP and pay the 25$ fee and pay for the courier back to Korea.

They said ok.

I told them it would take at least 4 months (according to the RCMP website).

They said ok.

Then they asked for another set of seal transcripts. (Since coming to Korea in 2003 I have handed over no less than 10 sets of these).

I told them they would have to pay for the courier and wait at least 3 weeks.

They said ok.

Then they asked to have my diploma.

I said no.

They said why?

I said because its mine and Im not giving it to the Gyeonggi board of education.

They looked puzzled.

Then I said they could have it if they gave me 100$ to buy a new one.

They said they would think about it.

All in all they have committed to a half day off (to go to the police station) and at least 60$ in courier fees and transcript/police check fees.


A total pain in my a$$ but I am going to make it as stressful on them as possible and when it does finally arrive I might just not tell them so as to d!ck them around.

[Colorado]

Yes, I was asked this morning to access my university's web site and show them that I graduated. Unfortunately, there is no list of graduates on the site. It cannot be done. I told them it was impossible and now I'm waiting to see what happens next.