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EPIK VacationSubmitted by I on 8 November 2006 - 10:49amTags: How have your schools and POE's handled your vacation time? Were you told when you would have off in a timely manner? Were you able to leave the country or were you required to stay in Korea? How much vacation time did you receive? |
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RE Epik Vacation for English Teachers.
I've been hearing a lot of complaints from English teachers working for the Epik program. Most of them are dissatisfied with the way the Epik program is handling their vacation. Teachers have been asked by the program to change their vacation dates and cancel their airplane tickets...
Another problem is the extreme discrimination and racism between Korean and English teachers. English teachers are only allowed to take a certain amount of vacation days (18 days a year). Usually public schools close for the winter vacation (January month), Spring vacation (a week in February) and Summer vacation (month of July/August).
These vacations lasts approximately 9 weeks, during which the schools are closed...That means there are no students present at the school. This is where the problem comes in...the Korean teachers are allowed to take study leave or just go on vacation, while the English teachers should be (some sitting in freezing classrooms/offices during winter vacations) at a forlorn school. English teachers at Epik have been complaining about being assigned to unnecessary classes in which the English teachers skills are abused (the same as in hagwons).
Epik is starting to lose its touch with English teachers by treating them unequally to their Korean teachers. After all, what's the difference between a Korean and an English teacher? Aren't they both teachers? And why the distinction?
Dissatisfied EPik English teachers.
EPIK Program Vacation Problem
"Another problem is the extreme discrimination and racism between Korean and English teachers. English teachers are only allowed to take a certain amount of vacation days (18 days a year)."
This is not racism - be careful of how you through around words.
"Epik is starting to lose its touch with English teachers by treating them unequally to their Korean teachers."
Do you mean by offering them salaries equal to or higher than Korean teachers who have degrees in Education from Korean universities and who visit the homes of their students and help advise them in Korean about how to be good people? Or do you mean treating them differently by giving them free airfare to and from another country, handing them free housing, and waiving their responsibilities to pay taxes if you come from certain countries? EPIK teachers and Korean teachers are and always will be treated differently unless the requirements, work load and responsibilities are the same.
Oh, you mean that foreign teachers only get 18 days off per year (everyone in EPIK gets more than the minimum when you count all of the days when you go to class and no one is there, when you students go camping or on fieldtrips, etc.) even though that's what the contract they signed says? Is it fair to complain that you have to live up to your contract or possibly even have to give a little extra?
Sorry dude, EPIK has its problems but there are very few EPIK teachers who go the extra mile at work and end up having serious problems with their schools. Rather, it is almost always the people who feel they are entitled to crap outside their contracts that have the biggest problems.
Here is your chance to share your story whether you agree or disagree with me...there should be a poll about how satisfied people in the EPIK Program are with their jobs...
I appreciate that someone
I appreciate that someone tried to explain the difference between English and Korean teachers roles and responsibilities. However, the focus of this post is vacation problems, discrimination, and racism in the Epik program and at schools towards English teachers. The focus is NOT on salaries or other special benefits the teachers get. I am perfectly aware of Korean teachers' roles and benefits...
I have been an English teacher in Korea for six years. I consider myself a hardworking professional who puts in more than is asked for. Unfortunately, I can't say that for the Epik program that considers highly qualified teachers as "instructors"...
And it's not necessary for me to be careful on how I throw my words, dude... The last time I checked South Korea was a democracy..
It's absolutely more than fair for me to complain and speak on behalf of the Epik teachers..especially when it comes to a contract filled with contradictions...
If I have to live up to the contract, then I expect the same from Epik.
I do not have any problems with my work, duties, and I am certainly not one of those people who wants to be entitled to benefits outside of my contract. In contrary, I enjoy my work. What I do not enjoy is the way how English teachers, and I can tell you a lot of horror stories from people I have met, are treated.
Of course there will always be a difference between English teachers and their lazy Korean teachers. I've seen Korean teachers work harder in hagwons than in public school. Have you any idea how laid back Korean teachers are? I have met and worked with a lot of other English teachers in the Epik program...they are diligent and hardworking... I wish with all honesty I could label the Korean co-teachers the same.
There should be a poll to determine how satisfied English teachers are with the Epik program and its contradicting contracts...
"the focus of this post is
Your post sounds like you were expressing your dissatisfaction with the difference in the way Korean teacher and foreign teacher in the EPIK program are treated, specifically in regards to vacation:
You also ask why foreign teachers are treated differently than the Korean teachers:
My answer is that they are treated differently because they are different, and a big part of the difference is the package foreign teachers get, including free airfare, free housing, settlement allowance, etc., and the qualifications required for both jobs. I don't think it is fair to compare the vacation days of foreign teachers to that of Korean teacers because the jobs, responsibilities, and remuneration are completely different. That's the point.
Please share the contractual contradictions in details.
If the contract says that you get 18 or 20 days of paid vacation per year that must be taken during the school vacations and with prior approval from your school, then I don't believe people have a right to complain if this what they get, and regardless of whether or not Korean teachers have to be at the school.
If this is not what you are referring to, or that teachers are not allowed to use the number of vacation days offered in their contract, then I agree with you 100%. My only problem is when people on the EPIK program complain about only getting 18 or 20 vacation days even though Korean teachers get more, despite this being exactly what is written in their contracts.
Comparing Korean teachers and foreign teachers is not valid as their different jobs, responsibilities and remuneration make it similar to comparing apples and oranges. Again, my point is that in my experience, almost all people I know who have done the EPIK program, myself included, have not had schools break terms in the contract. Rather, it is the teachers who expect and demand more than what is offered in the contract they signed and agreed to.
If there are instances where the school does not meet the terms stated in the contract in terms of vacation days, number of teaching hours, etc., I will be the first one to criticize and am sure that this occasionally happens. Again, please let me know about these instances with specific examples as I am very interested in hearing more about how often this kind of thing happens.
In any case, I for one appreciate your thoughts on the program and apologize if I came of as attacking you if you really have had the terms of your contract broken by your school.
Hi. I justed wanted to add my
Hi. I justed wanted to add my two cents. I feel that the EPIK contract should have a set minimum days of vacation BUT if your school (or there is no special program with the Office of Education) isn't doing anything, then why not let the teacher go on vacation or stay home? This would make everyone (mostly) happy. The schools have the right to special programs during vacation if they want to but if they don't the guest teacher is not stuck alone in a freezing room.
For example, last school year, my school had special classes during winter vacation. I taught 4 hours a day, then lesson plan and went home. I didn't complain because this is in my contract and I was happy to help my students, many of whom are poor.
However, if I was in a cold classroom all day with nothing to day, I wouldn't be too happy about it. I don't think this is a case of racism on the Koreans part but culture clash. The Koreans see it as doing your duty and the Westerners as wasting time. Also it doesn't help that in some Western countries there are so called "day prisons" where inmates show up and do nothing as a form of punishment.
Also in, America, it is unheard of for teachers to show up and do nothing. There is ALWAYS something to do. I know this for a fact because my mother has been a teacher for 30 years.
I believe that if EPIK wants to keep its best teachers around, then it should drop this rule and let each school decide what its needs are. Or if this is not possible, it should be explained in the contract that this might be required of the teacher. The idea of doing nothing at work is such an alien concept to most Westerners that I believe it should be explained.