Legalizing Eligibility of Hagwon Teachers Sought

By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter

Education authorities and lawmakers plan to propose a bill to screen out ineligible teachers at private institutes or hagwon.

Under the current regulations, Koreans who completed at least two-year college courses are entitled to teach at hagwon without legal binding.

Officials from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology told The Korea Times, Friday that they are likely to submit a bill to ban inadequate teachers from working at hagwon.

"There have been no attempts to regulate eligibility of hagwon teachers by law. We plan to submit a bill next month, disallowing ineligible hagwon teachers, to the National Assembly," said an official in charge.

The official added details for screening procedures have yet to decide, but hinted that Korean teachers might need to submit criminal records, if the bill is passed.

In case of foreigners, those who want to teach at hagwon are required to present criminal record and health check documents under the immigration regulations.

For now, a total of 13 bills related to hagwon are pending for approval at the parliamentary. Especially, a bill, proposed last year by Rep. Choi Young-hee of the main opposition Democratic Party, is seeking to tighten the screening of native English-speaking teachers at hagwon.

The bill is to mandate foreign English teachers to submit documents proving no criminal and drug records, whenever they are hired or transferred to other hagwon. It is because some E-2 or English teaching visa holders caught taking drugs were found to be rehired at hagwon.

Rep. Choi said "We could have prevented those foreigners (from working at hagwon), if my bill were passed last year."

In addition, the bill stipulates ``cannabinoid" tests in drug check-up in order to detect marijuana users. The immigration authorities initially planned to conduct the tests on E-2 visa applicants, but the idea was scrapped.

Another bill, submitted by Rep. Cho Jeon-hyuk of the governing Grand National Party, is to provide a mandatory course on Korean culture to native English speakers at elementary and secondary schools as well as hagwon

The Assemblyman said many foreign English teachers are involved in a number of criminals and the government needs to help native English instructors better understand local culture and also improve their teaching skills.

It is still unclear whether these bills will pass through the National Assembly.

kswho@koreatimes.co.kr

학원 무자격 강사 몰아낸다

학원의 무자격 강사를 몰아내기 위한 방안이 추진된다.

교육과학기술부 관계자는 금요일 무자격 강사의 학원 취업을 금지하는 법안을 제출할 계획이라고 밝혔다. 현행 규정에 따르면 전문 대학 이상의 학위를 소지한 사람은 누구나 학원에서 강의할 수 있다.

이 관계자는 ``이제껏, 학원 강사들의 자격을 법으로 규제하려는 시도가 없었다" 며 "이를 위한 법안을 다음달 국회에 제출할 것''이라고 말했다.

교과부는 현재 학원강사의 자격조건에 대해 논의중이며, 전과기록을 제출하도록 하는 방안도 고려하고 있는 것으로 알려졌다. 학원법과는 별도로, 법무부는 외국인 강사에게는 약물과 범죄기록을 제출토록 하고 있다.

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