English Immersion Villages Suffering Growing Deficits
By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
A total of 19 English immersion villages run by provincial governments sustained financial losses of nearly 20 billion won (about $17.8 million) last year, according to the Prime Minister's Office Friday.
The office released a report on the performance of municipal government-funded English villages that have sprung up nationwide to help children gain confidence in English speaking and listening.
``It costs a lot to construct those villages and hire proper staff but the tuition is low compared to the initial costs,'' an official of the government office said. ``If more large-scale English villages are built under the current financial situation, the deficit would increase.''
Despite 38-percent financial independence of those institutions, provincial governments plan to construct an additional 23 English villages costing 208 billion won by 2011, the report said.
The office also found that the village construction had triggered overlapping, over-investment and regional imbalance.
``Some provincial governments set up the institutions after little systematic research on the demand for English education on a proper scale,'' he said. ``Besides, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and some education offices are reportedly seeking to foster a similar English-friendly environment within schools.''
He pointed out that the short-term English programs provided by the English villages showed limitations in improving students' language abilities.
The Prime Minister's Office is considering advising municipal governments to revise English village construction plans after analyzing supply and demand.
It would also proceed with building an English learning center in farming and fishing communities in which English villages have yet to be set up.
The office suggested that the central government and provincial governments have a joint study to reduce the deficit.
It said it would seek to integrate programs in public education and English villages and put stronger criteria when approving those institutions in a bid to enhance their efficiency.