Getting Rid of NSET's

Well, according to what I read today in the Chosun Ilbo, phase 1 of "Get Rid of the Foreigners" may be starting. From the Chosun Ilbo:

Most native English-speaking teachers in about 300 high schools in Seoul could lose their jobs next year. In its budget for 2012, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education cut about W4 billion (US$1=W1,126) for 225 native speakers teaching at high schools......

and

The office also plans to reduce the number of native speakers teaching at elementary and middle schools from 2013.

Students from low-income families will likely bear the brunt of the policy. "Students from well-to-do families may find lessons from native English-speakers dull because they've been attending private tutoring institutes since they were young," an education official said. "But those from poor families should be given the opportunity to learn English with native speakers at school." He added it is "too early to reduce the number of native speakers as long as Korean teachers aren't good enough to replace them."

I know this is Jeju and not Seoul, but I see it as the start of a trend.

I know that there are government run foreign language centers in certain parts of the island that have NSET's. According to what I have been told, there is no tuition for classes at a foreign language center. I always wondered about this since there are NSET's in most of the schools. Now, I think I may have an answer. Kids can attend NSET staffed language centers for free and still get English instruction in school from Korean English teachers.

I see the day coming, not too far off, when fewer and fewer NSET's will be needed (or wanted) on Jeju.

That may not be such a bad thing.