No renewals after May?

[peasgoodnonsuch]

A friend of mine told me that in Gyeonggi-do, no one will be allowed to renew their contract with their school after this May.

Does anyone know how much truth there is to this? I understand it's probably different for SMOE and EPIK, so this question is really just to the GEPIK folks out there.

It doesn't really affect me, but I'm curious to know...

[kcjohn7]

Because of all the rumors running around, I've asked my school if anything was going on.  Today they got a letter, that they told me about because I had asked earlier, that says they are not hiring or renewing from 5/25 to 8/31 (I think those were the dates).  Basically they're not hiring during the summer break, and want to only hire based on the semester start dates.  They also said it's the temporary plan and so who knows what or when changes will be made again.

Also they said the letter mentions that budget for NETs has changed from 100% GEPIK to 40% GEPIK 40% local office and 20% school.  This part wasn't explained to me real well - but that's basically how I understood it.

[bmsteacher]

My school just informed me of the same letter asking schools to hold off on hiring new NETs this spring and summer.  I was told that after August there would be no GEPIK budgeting and it was solely up to the school to pay for the new NET (the letter was paraphrased and translated into English by my co-teacher, of course).  I am leaving in August, but my principal is already excited to find someone to replace me; so I guess there is budget money available still.  As for 2012, well, it's not my concern, but I'm confident that any school that is enthusiastic about English will find a way to hire a teacher. 

[JamericanTeacher]

My school hasn't mentioned a letter yet but they get their funding grom Suwon City and told me they received NT funding through February 2012 and are seeking addiitonal funding.  My contract expires on August 15th and I originally planned to renew but am now concerned that if I renew, they only have 6 months' worth of funding for my new contract (presuming they dont get additional funding.)  For all I know they may try to offer me a 6 month contract and I'll be out of the severance for the new contract.

Part of me doesnt think its a big deal, though, because I can just apply for EPIK's Spring 2012 program and move to them if y school can't keep me through August.  I guess I'll hang tight and see what happens.

One thing that seems interesting is that the admin told me they recieved 40,000,000W from the city.  Now if you figure:

2.3 mil salary x 12 months = 27,600,00
400,000 rent (estimate) x 12 months = 4,800,000
65,000 ins x 12 months = 780,000
103,500 pension x 12 months = 1,242,000

TOTALS = 34,422,000

That leaves them with an extra 5 almost 6 mil won so I really don't see where the uncertainty is coming from unless I'm missing some additional costs. 

[Pearl4885]

you missed severance and flights...

[misspigeon]

I'm in Suwon also and my co-teacher has been calling places about this since I said I wanted to renew back in February. My contract is up June 30 and my school has the money for me to stay but only through next February, so we're all hoping that I could just renew for 8 months, but I really doubt anyone is going to go through the trouble of figure out how that contract work. I'm guessing they're just going to tell everyone that wants to renew around new semester/year time that they're out of luck.

[JamericanTeacher]

I'm in Suwon also and my co-teacher has been calling places about this since I said I wanted to renew back in February. My contract is up June 30 and my school has the money for me to stay but only through next February, so we're all hoping that I could just renew for 8 months, but I really doubt anyone is going to go through the trouble of figure out how that contract work. I'm guessing they're just going to tell everyone that wants to renew around new semester/year time that they're out of luck.

Interesting.  ANd to be honest, I really don't mind not getting severance because its not like I'd be going home first. The way I see it, the timing would be perfect to start with EPIK so I'd just have to deal with the headache of moving to a new apt. 

What would you guys do?  Would you stay or go?

[misspigeon]

Interesting.  ANd to be honest, I really don't mind not getting severance because its not like I'd be going home first. The way I see it, the timing would be perfect to start with EPIK so I'd just have to deal with the headache of moving to a new apt. 

What would you guys do?  Would you stay or go?

I really wanna stay at my school because I would have never imagined landing a better one for my first school in Korea. It seems like it's all downhill from here if the public schools want to get rid of the NETs (not that the schools themselves really want to but the "Powers that Be" do).

I've already contacted my recruiter and told them the situation and emailed a bunch of other agencies my resume and sent out for my background check and degree apostille. I'm 100% expecting GEPIK to tell me that I'm SOL for renewing whether it be for a year or for 8 months.

[sweet_potato]

you missed severance and flights...

Also the settlement allowance of 300,000, plus I'm guessing random expenses paid to your coteacher who has to drive you to your place, trainings, moving your furniture in, .... hmm I guess we're more expensive than I thought!

[JamericanTeacher]

Yea I guess so.  When you look at it this way, we're damn near making what we made at home (if you're fresh out of college.)

I asked my head co-teacher for final word on the situation and she called city hall for an explaination.  They said any contract I sign will be for a year so even though the funds they school has recieved so far is only until Feb and even if he city ends the program after I re-sign, they'll still honor the full year contract.

I'm just going to take her word and stay.  It wont be much of an issue if I needed to leave anyway bc, again, the timing works out so I could easy switch to EPIK's Spring 2012 intake.

[emwsu]

My school just told me the same :( I was hoping to re-sign. I'm done in June and they don't know if they will have money until Aug for someone to start Sept 1. I understand having all teachers start with the terms, but it is also a bit difficult for us to plan anything... do I travel for 2 months then come back? or do I just move on?

My coteacher had the Korean letter with him when he told me, nothing was translated into english. He also said he didn't understand what was going on. I guess this is the budget cuts we have all been hearing about...

[Mlatte]

Just last night, I was told that I would be the last foreign English teacher at my school.  Evidently, they are putting the Co-teacher in charge of things.

[joybot0]

I just recently left the GEPIK program and now work at a private elementary school. It really sounds like things are coming down from their peak.

One wonders what will happen to these non-renewal teachers ... it will be interesting to see what jobs they find. I hope GEPIK picks ups again and people have job ops in the future.

[hondaicivic]

I just recently left the GEPIK program and now work at a private elementary school. It really sounds like things are coming down from their peak.

One wonders what will happen to these non-renewal teachers ... it will be interesting to see what jobs they find. I hope GEPIK picks ups again and people have job ops in the future.

Next stop: The Middle East (Abu Dhabi).......

[epinephrine9]

Strange that within about 2 years one of the most promising job markets for TEFL has become one of the least secure....

[lillellis]

I'm 100% expecting GEPIK to tell me that I'm SOL for renewing whether it be for a year or for 8 months.

I was informed of the letter this morning.  I'm in the same boat as y'all--contract's up June 10--and was planning on staying another year.  The worst part is the area where I am, Seongnam-dong in Seongnam City (not Bundang), truly needs NETs.  The students around here haven't had much exposure to foreigners, and so far my school has been rather thankful to have a "wonamin-seonsaengnim."  I didn't expect them to target/include high schools, although we all were warned that GEPIK would be reducing the program.

I am taking the same route as the person above, thinking that I'll be SOL.  Did anyone else hear of some higher-up on the Seongnam Board of Education embezzling money?  Allegedly (according to some of my fellow Korean teachers), that money was supposed to go towards English education.  Not sure if there's any truth to it, but that is one of the rumors.

The fact is I want to stay in Korea.  Any good resources where to look?   :D  Good luck to everyone else!  Kind of a bummer to hear when it's not all that far away...     

[pyeager]

Basically they're not hiring during the summer break, and want to only hire based on the semester start dates.

If that's true it's awful reasoning. Sept. 1 is really like a week after the semester starts, so they're expecting you to move across the globe and go to work the next morning.

[mteacher]

My school has already offered me to sign on for a third year (my contract ends Sep 3). The only difference is that I will be teaching between 2 schools - my current school for 3 days and another for 2. I don't mind really. I want to stay longer in Korea. I'm with GEPIK.
I mentioned to my co-teacher about contracts not being renewed and she told me that basically, they can renew if the native teacher is prepared to split between schools. If not, they will look for another native teacher who will.
When I told her I'd be happy to stay a fourth year, she was over the moon :)
Maybe my school is getting funding from somewhere else??? I didn't ask about this though.

I hope those who are not renewing find something new or another school. Good luck.

[ironopolis]

Basically they're not hiring during the summer break, and want to only hire based on the semester start dates.

If that's true it's awful reasoning. Sept. 1 is really like a week after the semester starts, so they're expecting you to move across the globe and go to work the next morning.

I'm guessing what this actually means is that they'll only be hiring people to start work at the beginning of one of the two semesters. Obviously that would mean that the actual recruitment would be happening well in advance of those dates.

Guessing is the operative word because I'm not in GEPIK, but I've heard there are a lot of folk on contract start dates here, there and everywhere throughout the year. It would kind of make sense if they wanted to tidy up that situation and have as many NETs as possible starting in either September or March.

I feel for anyone who gets screwed by that process though, and hopefully something can be worked out for those people.

[pippo11]

I also got this letter this morning. My school want me to re-sign from September 1st but as my current contract ends at the end of June I would be without work during the whole of July and August. Not an entirely bad thing some would say, but after 4 continuous years of employment in GEPIK, this hiatus from June to September also means that I will lose all the bonuses associated with contract renewal - eg holidays, re-signing bonus - and will be left with two months without a salary.

The school also cant be sure of the budget so cannot guarantee that they can even offer the same salary as my present contract. Am i supposed to hang around without a job for two months, lose the bonuses and still have no security on the contract im coming back to?!