Universities to do away with part-time lecturers

Part-time lecturers, who conduct weekly lectures based on a fixed timetable and receive renumeration on an hourly basis, have been receiving substandard treatment from universities in Korea.

MK News reported that as universities phase out the system, existing part-time lecturers will be converted to full-time university staff, thus securing their job positions and improving their working conditions. In addition, their contract period will be extended from one semester to one full year.

Presently, 94.7% of all part-time lecturers have contracts of 6 months or less, and the hourly rate of part time lecturers in national universities is expected to increase from 42,500 Won to 60,000 Won in 2011, and then to 80,000 Won in 2013. The adjustment aims to raise the earnings of the part-time lecturers to 50% of their full-time counterparts.

According to Yonhap News, efforts are being made in the national, public, and private universities to ensure that the recruitment process and employment benefits for the lecturers will be in accordance with that of their full-time staff. However, as there are no measures in place to compel private universities to increase the wages of part-time lecturers, some have questioned the effectiveness of this move. Private universities currently employ 80% of all part-time lecturers.

Translated by Kaye Lam

SNU enrollment report shows high proportion of freshmen come from specialized high school

Seoul National University (SNU) recently released a report on its 2011 enrollment. According to Yonhap News, there are 96 more students entering the school from foreign language high schools this year than there were last year, bringing the total up to 403 entrants. In addition, the top students entering SNU from non-specialized high schools are primarily from three districts from the Gangnam area of Seoul.

A high proportion of this year's SNU's graduating students came from specialized high schools. The report revealed that out of 21 high schools that send 20 or more students to SNU, 15 of them were either foreign language, science, or arts high schools. My Daily reported that the percentage of first-year students from specialized high schools is up 2% to 28% this year from last year's 26%.

However, My Daily also found that no only do the student's coming from foreign language high schools make up a high proportion of the total SNU entrants, there is a large discrepancy between the different geographical regions where the students come from. In total, 32.5% of students entering SNU are from Seoul, and those from the wider capital region make up a total of 55% of entrants.

Translated by Steven Wilson

Seoul elementary schools to increase testing frequency

Elementary schools in Seoul are doing away with the mid-term and final exam system. Beginning this year, tests will be given at the end of each unit for each subject. By implementing this new system of testing, the number of tests elementary students take in one semester will increase from one or two to 30. Yonhap News reported on February 17th that the Office of Education recently submitted documents to a handful of elementary schools in Seoul which outlined the switch to grades-based unit evaluations in Korean, Social Studies, Math, Science, and English. By substituting the current mid-terms and finals with a continual evaluations per subject, the students' achievement of the unit goals will be determined at the end of each unit. Students will take make-up classes if they do not reach the goal.

The Office of Education stated that these continual evaluations will have a diminishing effect on private education. According to the Daily Economy, in addition to changing from mid-term and finals to continual evaluations, grades will also include a record of other student activities. Next month, elementary schools nationwide will cut learning evaluation test subjects from five to two.

Translated by Bret Chernoff

English hagwon enrollment boom in Seoul

English hagwons, also known as private English academies, are institutions designed to improve English skills outside the regular school day. Acceptance into these academies is booming among elementary school students because of parents. It has become quite the competition between parents to get their child into famous private English academies, but because of the increase in popularity, many private English institutions will not take students who do not reach a certain level of English.


To get into an English hagwon, which are located primarily in the Gangnam area, not only does a family have to be able to afford the expensive tuition, but the student must also excel in English. If the student does not meet a certain level of English proficiency, he/she will not be granted acceptance.


According to Munhwailbo, there are many students who take entrance exams for English hagwons multiple times, and some parents even hire private tutors to help their child gain entrance into one of the English hagwons. Munhwailbo also reported, in an interview with a parent, that parents wants their elementary school child to enter one of these private institutions because they want their child to eventually enter a good university.