Native speaking teachers to be reduced in Gangwon-do

On January 12, Gangwondomin Ilbo published an article discussing plans for the future in Gangwon-do which included the following section.

△Support for middle and high school native speaking teachers

With the prolonged economic recession, the burden of private education expenses is increasing for parents.

To reduce the burden of private education expenses for parents, the provincial education office operates the 'Project to support native speakers in middle and high schools.'

The 'project to support native speakers in middle and high schools' was implemented in 2007 to expand the opportunity for foreign language education and enhance understanding of international culture for middle and high school students.

Last year the province placed 216 native speaking instructors in schools, but with the strengthening of training for Korean English teachers, native speaking teachers are scheduled to be gradually decreased.

Accordingly, they will be reduced by the province and provincial office of education to 180 this year and 144 in both 2013 and 2014.

The project to support native speakers in middle and high schools cost 8.78 billion won last year and will be reduced to 7.42 billion won this year and 5.98 billion won in 2013 and 2014, with 20% of the financial burden being covered by the province, 30% by the city or county, and 50% by the provincial office of education. The reduction in the budget will allow funds to be used for other educational projects to reduce private education fees for parents.

The province expects the project to support native speakers in middle and high schools will have a large effect on cutting private education expenses for parents and will continue to do so in the future.

Gyeonggi-do, Seoul, Gangwon-do... Who's next? Worth keeping in mind is that this is only for middle and high school teachers, and not elementary school teachers, and 1/3 of NSETs in Gangwon-do middle and high schools being phased out over three years is not as drastic as Gyeonggi-do's cuts. On the other hand, this is a province which will be hosting a Winter Olympics in six years...