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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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 Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 5:52 pm Post subject: Who determines a PAY RAISE...might be a surprise |
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So I asked my minder about getting a pay raise. He said he would call the local education office and find out. This was last week. Yesterday I approached him about that again. He informed me that the office had told him it was up to the school...in fact up to the Korean teachers. He said that they would meet on the following Monday and decide.
Strange...since I was under the impression that GEPIK determined the pay raise...still I'd rather have people who know me and whom I feel I have a fairly good working relationship with to make the call.
Just wondering...has this happened to anyone else? |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:12 pm Post subject: |
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| It means 'GEPIK said no, they could find any old white person to replace you and don't give a damn about retaining experienced people through such obvious incentives as a pay scale for experience with them, but if we decide we really want you instead of having to start over with another randomn whitey we may be able to scrape some extra funds together from somewhere'. |
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tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:34 pm Post subject: Here's the scoop... |
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Here is what few people know or care not to know...
The primary Office of Ed, in this case GEPIK, sends all of the monies associated to your position as an EFL-ESL instructor shortly after you signe the contract of employment...This includes not only your salary for teaching, but also all other money that will be needed to help wth paying your pension, your medical insurance, your housing, if the school is providing it, plus several thousand dollars in general expenditures...SO, for one person the MOE allots a set amount that is in the neighborhood of $37,000 - $42,000 dollars (35 - 42 mil KRW) ( I repeat, they receive ALL of your position monies at the time the contract you signed was approved. This is the way it works in Korea...) The only money the school is presonally responsible for is the key deposit money for your living accommodations...
Now, there is plenty of money to cover the increase in pay for receiving additional training or professional development which would entitle you to receive your raise, but herein lies the rub...
School admins often find their own little pet projects to funnel English teacher fund money into...In some cases the money is spent almost immediately after it comes to the school, and then the English department literally has to beg for money when they have a legitimate need...I could tell you numerous tales of people who have facts regarding this occurrence...
The school people don't want to lose face or be accused of spending money they know was supposed to be used for the English teacher, so they have gotten into the habit of telling the English teacher, sorry, we have no money in the budget or GEPIK said we can't, neither of which is usually a truth of fact... |
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pkang0202
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:37 pm Post subject: Re: Here's the scoop... |
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| tob55 wrote: |
The school people don't want to lose face or be accused of spending money they know was supposed to be used for the English teacher, so they have gotten into the habit of telling the English teacher, sorry, we have no money in the budget or GEPIK said we can't, neither of which is usually a truth of fact... |
Is there a way to expose the school for this? Is there someone in GEPIK that you could turn to and say "Hey, our school isn't giving us what we need to teach." |
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boyne11
Joined: 08 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 7:45 pm Post subject: Re: Here's the scoop... |
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| pkang0202 wrote: |
| tob55 wrote: |
The school people don't want to lose face or be accused of spending money they know was supposed to be used for the English teacher, so they have gotten into the habit of telling the English teacher, sorry, we have no money in the budget or GEPIK said we can't, neither of which is usually a truth of fact... |
Is there a way to expose the school for this? Is there someone in GEPIK that you could turn to and say "Hey, our school isn't giving us what we need to teach." |
There's no way because they all have their palms greased already. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 8:45 pm Post subject: Re: Here's the scoop... |
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| tob55 wrote: |
Here is what few people know or care not to know...
The primary Office of Ed, in this case GEPIK, sends all of the monies associated to your position as an EFL-ESL instructor shortly after you signe the contract of employment...This includes not only your salary for teaching, but also all other money that will be needed to help wth paying your pension, your medical insurance, your housing, if the school is providing it, plus several thousand dollars in general expenditures...SO, for one person the MOE allots a set amount that is in the neighborhood of $37,000 - $42,000 dollars (35 - 42 mil KRW) ( I repeat, they receive ALL of your position monies at the time the contract you signed was approved. This is the way it works in Korea...) The only money the school is presonally responsible for is the key deposit money for your living accommodations...
Now, there is plenty of money to cover the increase in pay for receiving additional training or professional development which would entitle you to receive your raise, but herein lies the rub...
School admins often find their own little pet projects to funnel English teacher fund money into...In some cases the money is spent almost immediately after it comes to the school, and then the English department literally has to beg for money when they have a legitimate need...I could tell you numerous tales of people who have facts regarding this occurrence...
The school people don't want to lose face or be accused of spending money they know was supposed to be used for the English teacher, so they have gotten into the habit of telling the English teacher, sorry, we have no money in the budget or GEPIK said we can't, neither of which is usually a truth of fact... |
Interesting. Who the F are you and how do you know this?
Seriously, does this mean that the local school decides raises AND, essentially, salaries? This info, if true, would make some on this board look very foolish. |
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skconqueror
Joined: 31 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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| My friend actually tried to report his school for the exact same thing.. well more importantly the principal. The " _______ office of education" said that they knew of the situation and are just limited the amount of funds it is able to acquire. |
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tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:27 pm Post subject: Who I am... |
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wylies99
I am simply someone who is living and working in this country just like you, and spent my time trying to figure out how and why the current educational system works the way it does...I have lived here for four years, I have sources from many places, and I have found out what anyone who was interested in doing their homework could find out if they were so inclined to do so...
I assure you, the information is factual, regardless of the people who attempt to downplay it as rumor or fanciful thinking...
The schools receive a fairly wide berth of autonomy when deciding how to determine the salary and other financial arrangements with their employees...This is why there is such a discrepency among different people working in different places...Do you think if things were actually standardized and equal that people would be having so many problems with their contracts? |
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passport220
Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Location: Gyeongsangbuk-do province
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:38 pm Post subject: Re: Here's the scoop... |
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| pkang0202 wrote: |
| Is there a way to expose the school for this? Is there someone in GEPIK that you could turn to and say "Hey, our school isn't giving us what we need to teach." |
What exactly is there to �expose�?. The lump sum up front sounds unusual but the idea of giving individual schools the discretion on how to spend what would amount to a small % of the funds seems like a good idea to me.
Just because the money is not going to an individual teacher in the form of a raise - how do you know it was not earmarked on something else the school administration felt in a good faith way would be beneficial to the students?
Last edited by passport220 on Sat Jul 14, 2007 3:28 am; edited 1 time in total |
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tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 2:41 am Post subject: Who is Interested... |
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Regarding your statement...
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| Just because the money is not going to an individual teacher in the form of a raise - how do you know it was not earmarked on something else the school administration felt in a good faith way would be beneficial to the students? |
In the original post I made I stated what was told to me by three officials from the MOE who indicated that all monies for native English teachers is paid up front, and it is then managed by the respective schools...
The issue is not whether there are other projects (we all know there are many projects and special interests taking place in the schools), the issue is that money designated for English program funding is being spent for purposes that it was not intended to be used for when the MOE sent it to the school... (I am talking about money given for the English department that is being used to fund unrelated projects and special interest things the admins are diverting money to...)
I am not sure what it amounts to as far as other people are concerned, BUT from my perspective, if money that is supposed to used for the English teacher and the English department of a school is being used for any other purpose than it was designated to be used for, it is stealing...No explanation, logic or other consideration would make it anything other than that...So it is a matter of administrators taking liberties by using money that is not in theirs to do with as they please...
Last edited by tob55 on Sat Jul 14, 2007 4:36 am; edited 1 time in total |
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oldfatfarang
Joined: 19 May 2005
Location: On the road to somewhere.
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 2:57 am Post subject: Re: Here's the scoop... |
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| tob55 wrote: |
| ... SO, for one person the MOE allots a set amount that is in the neighborhood of $37,000 - $42,000 dollars (35 - 42 mil KRW) |
I remember reading on Daves (in last 2 months) that SMOE gives each school 100.000,000 won (approx $100,000.00) for each SMOE teacher. Apparently, a SMOE recruiter said that (sorry for the 2nd hand info). |
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tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 3:19 am Post subject: No surprise... |
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Now, that wouldn't surprise me at all...I was told by three teachers who asked their schools and they were all quoted in the 37 - 42 mil KRW range...This could have been the money specifically spent on their salary, pension and other personally related expenses...I reallly wouldn't be surprised if it was closer to what you are thinking...The MOE people were very kind to share how the money gets to the schools, and I never thought that other people didn't know this to be a fact...Don't shoot the messegner, I am just sharing what I thought was common information...  |
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boyne11
Joined: 08 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 3:32 am Post subject: |
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Now, I'm going to demand a pay raise on Monday.  |
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passport220
Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Location: Gyeongsangbuk-do province
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 3:51 am Post subject: |
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1st sorry for the previous typo�I have made a correction.
2nd thanks for the information�I never knew it worked that way.
3rd I will respectfully disagree with your assessment.
| tob55 wrote: |
| I am not sure what it amounts to as far as other people are concerned, BUT from my perspective, if money that is supposed to used for the English teacher and the English department of a school is being used for any other purpose than it was designated to be used for, it is stealing...No explanation, logic or other consideration would make it anything other than that...So it is a matter of administrators taking liberties by using money that is not in theirs to do with as they please... |
I do not doubt some school officials in any system Korea, my home country or any country are corrupt. However, to make an accusation like his is just reckless and irresponsible. Stealing? don�t you think you should have some proof before you post something like this on a public comment board. This sounds like a case of a little information can be dangerous. We do not have details of the agreement between the school and the funding source. At my school a team of auditors came in to look at the school books, what makes you think the school is not fully in compliance with the terms of the money transfer. Do you have a complete school budget, where exactly did the stolen money go? The FT program is one very small part of the overall workings of a school. I am surprised how much stock some teachers put into what amounts to a minor side program. I did not know we were entitled to speak on behalf of the tax payers on how their money is spent.
There is a well accepted concept in public administration. A funding source will often give some type of monetary incentive to get higher participation in a program. You want individual schools to participate and jump though the administrative hoops to have a foreign teacher at your school��.great there will be a little extra money in the budget as an incentive� because setting up a foreign teacher does take time and resources�time and resources that could be used for other things.
Ask for a raise you think your market value merits it not based on what money you think should be laying around.
Last edited by passport220 on Sat Jul 14, 2007 4:17 am; edited 3 times in total |
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tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 4:07 am Post subject: Agreed... |
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Thanks for the clarification, and I accept your comments as one who is wanting to see the good in the system...I too have similar feelings, and will reserve the right to keep the confidence of the people who shared the information with me...It isn't like it would change any thing here in a big way to begin with...There are much greater issues concerning the current education system than to worry about money being diverted from one place to another...
For me personally the money is okay, but I find other things more important to me in the Korean educational systen than the money...If money was my driving desire I would never have left the job I had in the United States to come here...I have gone on record previously to discuss my reasons for coming to Korea and none of them had anything to do with money, EXCEPT for the high taxes we Americans face...hehehe....
I stated information as a means of discussion and response to the original poster of this thread...I honestly think there are some important issues that should be discussed...No offense to you or anyone else was intended by my comments, if you believe them or not is up to you, but that will not and should not stop people who have information from sharing it with people who are interested in knowing...
One more thing, I am not one to tell tales. or speculate on gossip...If I take time to say something then I have done my homework before I speak, otherwise it it is nothing more than what you said, teachers putting stock in a minor side program...
Thanks for the feedback... |
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