By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter

The government's plan to hire ethnic Korean university students from overseas and foreign nationals as English teachers for elementary schools in rural areas is drawing lukewarm reaction.

More than 1,500 elementary schools in provincial areas are demanding native English-speaking teachers, according to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

To provide children at relatively underprivileged schools with opportunities to learn English, the ministry has launched the Teach and Learn in Korea (TaLK) program and has been receiving applications since May 1. The program is in line with President Lee Myung-bak's pledge to narrow the educational gap between the haves and have-nots.

Calling them ``President's Scholars,'' the government pledges benefits such as round-trip airfare and allowances of about 1.5 million won ($ 1,500) per month as well as a monthly accommodation allowance of 400,000 won.

However, the project is drawing unenthusiastic responses, with the June 15 deadline approaching. According to the TaLK office, it has only received about 180 applicants, well below the target of 500. About nine out of 10 applicants are ethnic Korean teachers.

``People tend to apply at the last minute. In reality, some 100 students applied last week. I believe we can manage to complete our goal,'' said Kim Chang-eun, director of TaLK office.
To attract more applicants, the office already lowered the academic requirements for the positions. It originally only opened its doors to students who had completed at least two years of their course at a university in an English-speaking country, but now even freshmen and sophomore students can apply.

``In the beginning, only junior and senior university students were allowed to apply. But now all university students, graduates and graduate school students can apply,'' said Lee Young-chan, a deputy director at the ministry.

The ministry has newly included students from South Africa in addition to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, U.K., U.S.A., and Ireland. In addition, the ministry plans to invite some 100 exchange students for the program. Initially, the ministry said that exchange students could not apply for the program due to visa problems.

Successful candidates in the program will teach after-school classes by forming one-to-one working partnerships with Korean university students from September.

kswho@koreatimes.co.kr