Two International Middle Schools to Open in Seoul
As reported in the Joongang Ilbo, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has announced a plan to establish two international middle schools in the capital city, each of which will accept 160 freshmen beginning next March. Each school will accept 160 first-year students who will be divided into five classes. The annual tuition will be set at 4.8 million won ($4,574) or less, a measure partly aimed at quelling criticism that the new schools will be affordable only for children from rich families. But first-year students also have to pay an additional 700,000 won as an entrance fee. The Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union held a press conference in front of the education office yesterday to protest the decision.
“The change would put enormous burden on elementary school students and increase the financial burden on parents, eventually devastating the elementary education system,” said the union in a statement.