Gov`t cancels plan for Koreans` admission into foreign schools here

The Ministry of Education Friday cancelled a plan to ease the requirements for Korean students to enter foreign schools here two months after it was announced.

The ministry immediately came under fire for its inconsistent policy, which has confused many parents who have been preparing for their children`s admission into foreign schools out of the belief that the new system would be implemented in March next year.

The ministry announced in September that it would allow students who have lived abroad for two years or more to enter foreign schools here instead of the current five years or more, but cancelled it in the face of strong public opposition and decided to maintain the present system, a ministry official said.

The ministry also withdrew a plan to allow Koreans or Korean corporate bodies employing foreign teachers to establish foreign schools here if they obtain recommendations from related foreign countries. The ministry decided to qualify only corporate bodies to set up foreign schools.

In consideration of foreign schools` specialty, the ministry also cancelled the plan not to apply requirements for the establishment of various schools, including the qualifications of teachers and curriculum and the School Health and City Planning Laws, to new foreign schools.

The ministry announced the new system in September in a bid to absorb the increasing demand for young students to study abroad and has so far collected opinions from education-related civic organizations.

But the decision gave rise to a controversy over unequal education opportunities and privileges for the wealthy class, forcing the ministry to cancel it, the official explained.