Lee Cheong-yeon, the newly elected education superintendent-elect for Incheon, has made it clear that his office will be run on a tight budget. He said in a recent press conference that the IMOE needs an additional 100 billion won ($98.8 million) to carry out all the programs that it had scheduled for the second half of 2014.It also adds that
The IMOE was not the only education office short on cash. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education recently announced that its budget was 300 billion won short.The Herald claims the news came to light at Waygook.org, and states that one teacher posting there was asked to resign by her employers, indicating that the cuts may affect current employees.
The article then describes "angry responses from foreign teachers" at Waygook.org:
One said that teachers in Korea are being “used as pawns in a game” and are never provided enough protection from authorities’ decisions, which can devastate their lives.Is is just me, or do these quotes undermine using Waygook.org as a source at all?
Another disdainful native English teacher claimed that Incheon was “never a good destination for EPIK teachers,” and said that the education office there hires too few and its practices are “shady.”
I won't pretend to know much about Incheon politics (other than to say I've heard these cuts have been in the offing for some time now). If any knowledgeable readers want to add their thoughts, feel free.
5 comments:
There's a Reddit thread going on it too: http://www.reddit.com/r/korea/comments/29gyu0/incheon_suddenly_denies_all_accepted_epik_fall/
Both seem to have been used by 'teachers' to spout off their grievances, stereotypical and otherwise rather than adding anything of use. Although it does appear the grand total of people whose offer has been rescinded is 10.
A good friend of mine found himself in a pretty untenable position at an Incheon elementary school a little over a year ago. While trying to sort out a solution with the IMOE coordinators, he was told that he was the only person having problems and that they weren't going to do anything to assist.
Hopefully the media doesn't read too far into the Waygook.org stuff, that site can be a pretty good resource.
It seems that 이청연 was initially not a 새정치민주연합 candidate (one article lists him is 민주진보), but here's a picture of him at a 협약식 with 새정치민주연합 송영길 인천시장 후보: https://www.facebook.com/greenvote64/posts/713071708752901
"Exterminate all the brutes!"
Alistair Wery of the Korean Horizons recruiting agency posted this message on waygook.org:
I work with IMOE and various education offices; and it seems to me that comments made by a lot of you are misrepresenting the education office; and a lot of what you're saying isn't necessarily true.
The education seems to be unrepresented here; so I would like to add my voice.
To be clear; the message that has been sent to the schools in Incheon affects those whose contracts are expiring 26th August 2014 & 5th September 2014. It does not currently affect those whose contracts are ending afterwards.
So yes – if your contract ends 26th August and you are a middle school; high school or IFTC teacher – then you cannot renew. If you are an elementary school teacher & your contract ends August 26th – you can renew at the same school but only if your performance result for your year is good enough.
If you are currently in a middle or high school – or you work at IFTC and your contract ends 26th September or afterwards; this policy does not affect you. It may; but that decision of whether it does or doesn’t has not been made.
So here’s the problem – yes there’s a new superintendent. The decision of whether to renew the English teachers in Incheon stems from some of you currently teaching within the program that are ruining it for everyone else. Coming here simply to drink and have a good time; using fake sick days; really not caring about teaching – thinking just yourself about making money – etc, etc, etc – the list goes on. Worst of all - running away without considering the consequences of those you leave behind.
FYI - This forum is being watched by the decision makers.
BTW – I’m not going to respond to individual comments here. If you are a public school teacher & you are currently working for IMOE; you can email me directly.
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