On November 4, the Ministry of Education & Human Resources Development announced its plan to cut its hiring of new elementary teachers in 2007 to just over 4,000 from this year’s 6,600, on November 4. After the ministry’s decision on job cuts based on the Korea’s falling birth rates, students at education universities around the country protested on the streets asking for the withdrawal of the proposal. The protesters urged that the low birth rate is just an excuse to cover up bad budget estimates and financial difficulties of the Ministry.

In Korea, graduates of universities of education are eligible to take a government examination to become an elementary school teacher. The Ewha Voice asked students’ opinions on the issue.

Jang Yoo-jeong (Life Sciences, 2): The formula that entering an education university equals 100 percent guarantee of employment has been a golden rule. Therefore, even students whose real passion did not lie in becoming a teacher applied for the education universities because of the stability they granted. By reducing the recruiting number, it will at least lessen such tendency among students and produce higher quality elementary teachers.

Cho A-ra (Social Studies Education, 4): Regarding the change in our society, decrease in the number of employing teachers is natural from a certain point of view. It seems like education university students are seeking for their own interests. The competitive rate of the examination of secondary school teachers score more than 10:1 compare to that of primary school teachers which usually reaches less than 10:1.

Kang Soo-kyoung (Law, 4): The ministry’s plan is surely inappropriate if it was made without any advance notice. Many students have entered education universities without expecting any of this. However, it seems quite inevitable to accept the fact that the birth rate is and will be decreasing continuously, which will require fewer numbers of teachers in the long run.

Song Jung-a (Social Studies Education, 4): It is hard to accept the decision of the government which has always advocated an advanced education. Instead of cutting seats for the teachers, they should reduce the ratio of students and teachers.

 

저작권자 © Ewha Voice 무단전재 및 재배포 금지