Joongang Daily Newspaper, November 6, 2013 South Koreans to “Study Abroad” in South Korea
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Joongang Daily Newspaper, November 6, 2013 South Koreans to “Study Abroad” in South Korea Hot potato, Pie in the sky, Sour grapes.... International school is the place that can be explained with these clichés. The establishment of Chadwick International in Songdo in 2010, the first foreign educational institution in the metropolitan area, and the subsequent foundation of NLCS Jeju, KIS Jeju, and BHA in Jeju English Education City in 2011 and 2012 caused international schools to become “hot potatoes”, drawing attention and raising controversies among people. These schools were opened to replace the demand for studying abroad, but they were just 'pies in the sky' for most parents due to their expensive tuition and constraints due to their location, and ‘sour grapes’ for many Gangnam mothers as entering kids on those schools without any proof made them feel nervous. I glimpsed over on international schools. What I had gained and lost in Songdo or in Jeju International school is a place where parents can educate their children with the U.S. private school or the U.K. public school system in Korea without sending their kids abroad. All Korean students are allowed to study in international schools, unlike foreign schools that require 3 years or more of residence in a foreign country. However, the annual tuition fee is as high as 50 million won. In addition, none of them is located in Seoul, meaning that students would face long commute to school or the family should move in near the school. The oldest school is Chadwick International opened in 2010, implying that international schools have not been verified in many aspects. I met mothers who had sent their kids to international schools in Songdo and Jeju and asked them why they had made such decisions and whether they are satisfied with their choices. Ms. Kim Ju Seon (41) had transferred her kid from a public school in Daechi-dong to Chadwick International in Songdo last year and her child had commuted from Dogok-dong to Chadwick for a year. This year, the whole family moved to Songdo. Her second kid was accepted at Chadwick International, and she thought it was better to settle in Songdo as soon as possible. Ms. Kim said, “My kid adapted well to so-called Daechi-dong system, and other parents said that I was being unreasonable to leave Daechi-dong when I told them that I would transfer my child to another school. In the beginning, there were rumors that my child had gone abroad to study since the school was not as good as expected.” She explained, "Such response must be due to Gangnam Mothers’ anxiety towards the unproven school,” and added, “Now, the number of Daechi-dong Mothers asking me admission information for international schools have rapidly increased. " If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen Then why did parents choose international school from the beginning? I could find the answer from the word of Ms. Bak Eun Kyung (39), a mother who had sent her child since the first year of Chadwick International. “The first way of letting my child behave is to say that I am not letting my child to go to school. That is how much my child likes Chadwick.” Ms. Jeon (45) had transferred her child from a public school in Seoul to North London Collegiate School (NLCS) in Jeju, and later to Branksome Hall Asia (BHA). Her child is currently in the 3rd grade. Ms. Jeon said, "Teachers in a Korean school tell kids to be quiet when they ask questions, but here at BHA teachers answer kindly to all the questions from kids, and my child likes going to school very much. My child smiles more.” Ms. Shin Mi Seon (41) moved from Daechi-dong to Canons Village, located right in front of NLCS Jeju, said, "My family had lived in Bundang, and after participating in English programs in the New Zealand, we moved to Daechi-dong when my son was in the 6th grade. The life was tough in that place. I have a nephew, a middle school student living in Daechi-dong. He goes to private English and math class right after the school, and comes back exhausted at around 11:00 PM.” She also said, “I thought I would not be able to get away with such life had I lived in Daechi-dong, whether I want it or not.” It was the reason for moving into Jeju. Most of the 180 households living in Canons Village were parents or school officials. Mr. Shin, the husband, lives in Seoul alone due to his job. Ms. Kim Eun Ji (39), whose first and second child go to NLCS Jeju and BHA respectively, said, “Kids do not have time to play, just like days that they were at a Korean school. In terms of what kids do during their spare time, however, it is different." It means that students in Korean schools take private classes one after another right after school, but kids here spend time doing their homework that requires their own thinking. "Found My Own Life" vs "Depressing due to All-in for Kids" Actually, there are number of cases that chose international school not for kids but for parents. That is the case for Ms. Kang Ji Young (42) who came from Mokdong. Ms. Kang said, "I transferred my child to Chadwick when my nephew from Canada enrolled in Chadwick International. At first, I planned to put my child back to a local school if necessary, but I am satisfied." It was more than satisfaction. Kang told me that she had finally found her life. Kang was a typical helicopter mother when she lived in Mok-dong. If her child was studying with a workbook, she sat in front of him and helped him. Her schedule for the whole day was arranged for her child. There was no personal time. But now it had changed with the help of school system, which encouraged students to study by themselves. "Now, my work as a mother in the past is not needed anymore." she said. However, the international school is not a heaven for all the parents. A lot of mothers feel difficult because the life in Jeju is a lot different from the life in Seoul, especially if she is the only parent living in Jeju. Ms. Kim (41), who sends her two children to BHA, said, "The school and the house are here in the middle of nowhere. It takes 30-40 minutes by car to go and buy something, so there are a number of depressed mothers," she said. Ms. Song Soo Hyeon (40), who is sending her three children to an international school in Jeju, said, “In the beginning, mothers get along with each other as the life in Jeju is quite simple and they are not staying with their husband. Then they fall out in some cases simply because of the minor misunderstanding." She also said, "Mothers coming to Jeju are determined to all-in for kids. At times, they are depressed as they had to arranging their day to a child’s school schedule, but they consider it as a sacrifice in order to educate their child as a global leader and try their best to endure the hardship.” Escaping from private education is a fantasy Ms. Lee (35), one of NLCS Jeju parents, said, "There is a private institution teaching English and math in English. Mothers considering going back to Korean schools tend to pay more attention to private education, but it is a matter of choice in Jeju, not a required one.” She added, "Students usually live near the campus, and it is approximately 40 minutes drive to go private institutions in Nohyeongdong, making it virtually impossible to get there on weekdays.” Kim Eun Ji sends her two children to an international school in Jeju. She said, "Private education is an option in this place. It is the reason that I did not enroll my kids in KIS Jeju.” In its information session, she asked if students should study math before the school semester, and they answered that students should do if it was necessary. She claimed, "The other two schools in Jeju told me not to send my child to private institutions. If I was going to educate my child in Korean style, such as sending my child to the private institutions, what is the point of coming to Jeju?” Some parents claimed that kids are still being privately educated just like the days at Korean schools, but the subject is not the same. Ms. Song (50), a parent of a 10th grade BHA student, said, "Some students take private tutoring on math as it is insufficient compared to Korean schools. A number of kids are privately educated improve their English, but it is the trend to send kids private classes for art, music, or for PE. Lee Eun Ah (43), a parent of 3rd grade at Chadwick International student who had moved from Bangbae-dong to Songdo, said, "Just like anywhere else, kids here get a lot of private education. But it is not a Korean, English, or math class. Private education here is focused on art, music, or PE classes that are not in the school curriculum such as fencing or trumpet, which is necessary in order to go to foreign universities.” Is It English or Korean? A Never Ending Question International schools in Jeju do not have any regulation limiting quota for Korean nationals. Only KIS Jeju released its percentage of foreign students and it was just 3%.