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English afterschool courses allowed for 1st, 2nd graders in elementary school

English afterschool courses allowed for 1st, 2nd graders in elementary school

Posted September. 03, 2014 07:29,   

한국어

Schools will be forbidden to teach advanced content that goes beyond regular curriculum or set exams starting September 12, and the government decided to give exception to English afterschool courses at first and second grades in elementary school. Concerns are rising that such as decision may not generate expected effects.

At a Cabinet council Tuesday, the government voted for an enforcement ordinance of the special law on promoting public education normalization and regulating prior learning. The initial pre-announcement of legislation by the Education Ministry in April included no exception on English afterschool class for first and second grades in elementary school. However, the enforcement ordinance voted Tuesday said that the such application will be excluded until February 2018.

Such English class issue has been one of the biggest disputes. Under the current education curriculum, English teaching starts from third grade in elementary school, and first and second grades had learned English through a relatively cheap afterschool class. However, parents were saying they have to send their children to costly private institutes if afterschool classes are banned.

The Education Ministry has responded with vague answers saying classes that teach English through games or songs are possible. In the end, an enforcement ordinance was voted that allows prior afterschool English learning for first and second grades.