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By Amanda Purnell
I am an English teacher. I have a bachelor’s degree, but it is not in education. I do not have a master’s degree. But I am a CELTA-certified teacher who has taught in France, the Czech Republic and South Korea for two years. I love teaching ESL. I have chosen it as a career. And I’m good at it.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education’s recent move, deciding to reduce and phase out Native English Teachers (NETs) in Seoul public schools has been a controversial issue between Koreans and NETs. It has sparked conversation, fear of unemployment, and resentment. Personally, I agree with the moves made by the Office of Education.
To be quite frank, Korea spends too much money on unqualified NETs. Fresh-out-of-university and unqualified foreigners hear about the easy workload, the free rent, and the ample paychecks. Only need a four-year degree? Why not go teach in Korea for a year? As they question their future career or run from the unemployment terrors of their home country, a number of non-committed foreigners find themselves living a life of pure comfort in Korea.
New and inexperienced NETs make an average monthly salary of 1.9 million won per month with EPIK (English Program in Korea). While it is cheaper for the bottom line to hire these workers, the quality (or lack thereof) of their work ultimately does not benefit Korean students in the long run. The return is simply not worth the investment.
EPIK should be willing to hire experienced teachers, along with their designated higher pay grades, if they want to expect any improvement in English education in Korean public schools. These teachers are obviously more trained in educational methodology and techniques. However, those that have chosen education as a career ― not just a gap-year activity ― are more likely to stay in Korea, preventing the constant turnover found with the one-year contract, post-university escapists and runaways.
Korea is also one of the only countries that accept online TEFL course certifications for a pay raise. I spent over $2,000 and an intense month (academically, the most difficult month of my life) to get a worldwide-recognized and revered CELTA certification. My friend spent $200 on his online TEFL course. He gets the exact same pay grade raise as me.
My CELTA certification provided over 22 classroom hours of actual hands-on student teaching to ESL students. His certification provided 100 hours of reading text and listening to lectures on a computer screen. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to see that the quality of our certifications is polar opposites. So why are we remunerated the same?
This is not to say that all recent college graduates or those without any teaching qualifications cannot be good or even great teachers. Some of them are amazing educators, bringing various skills and knowledge to the classroom. However, those that are less qualified should be subject to standard and regular evaluations. These evaluations should be done by the actual students and Korean co-teachers ― NOT by the students’ parents or by the vice principal who has never seen them teach a class.
It is time for Korea to be more selective of the Native English Teachers that they hire. It is time to demand qualifications and experience. It is time for Korea to evaluate what they want out of English education and take the necessary steps to hire or train educators to achieve it.
Amanda Purnell has been a middle school teacher in Daegu with the EPIK program for two years. She can be reached at Amanda.purnell@gmail.com.
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