Tuesday, November 05, 2013

An interesting development regarding HIV tests for SMOE teachers

The renewal requirements for native speaking teachers working for the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education include this rather interesting requirement at the bottom of the page (click to enlarge):


I'd be curious to know the exact reasoning for the removal of HIV and drug tests from the health check. I have no idea if word of the CERD case has trickled down (perhaps the government is trying to justify its assertion to the CERD committee that it stopped requiring HIV tests for renewing teachers in 2010?) or if it's for some other reason. Have any readers heard of the testing requirements (for renewal) being dropped by other education offices?

6 comments:

Mike said...

Daegu's office of education has the same change in its 2014-2015 contracts.

Anonymous said...

EPIK hasn't changed its posted Sample Contract (2013) yet, it still has the same requirement in Art. 18(1)(9)(b):

"The Employee must complete a medical examination (HIV, Drug etc) in Korea for the purpose of working in Korean public schools and educational institutions."

http://www.epik.go.kr/EPIK/images/job_description/sample_contract.pdf

graham said...

Chungbuk Education ofice notified me today that it HIV and drug tests are no longer required

X said...

As of September this year, Gangnam District - which is (quasi) autonomous from SMOE - hadn't dropped their HIV test for renewal, but did drop their Korean police check (!)

Anonymous said...

Anyone know if the Ulsan Office of Education is getting rid of its AIDS and drug retests?

Also, since the Ministry of Education tests are just the RETESTS for AIDS and drugs, what about the original tests done for the immigration office? There's no mention of these being stopped, is there?

Will said...

I'm renewing in Busan and it seems there's no drug or HIV test for my health check. It wasn't stated anywhere on the paper work, but a co-worker was nice enough to call the BCMOE for me.