Transfer to Be Allowed for Education Colleges

The Ministry of Education and Human Resources decided to change the original plan from appointing the certified middle school teacher to the elementary schools through the one-year continuing education. According to the new policy, the certified middle school teacher can be appointed through two-year education after transferring to the colleges of education.

However, the students of the colleges of education and the teachers` organizations have shown much negative response to the ministry`s new policy, suspending the conflict over the teacher recruit policy. And many criticize that since the policy change had to be initiated by the group interest, the government has no consistency on teacher policy.

The Ministry announced yesterday that it would withdraw the introduction of the credit system which was opposed by the students from the colleges of education. Instead, the Ministry proposed a measure that would transfer 2,500 certified middles school teachers to the colleges of education, for next year only, then they would be appointed to the elementary schools.

According to the new policy, besides the presently existing ratio for the transferring students (20 percent of the regular quota), 2,500 certified middle school teacher will transfer to the colleges of education next year, and will be appointed to the elementary schools in March, 2004, after finishing a two-year course.

inchul@donga.com