Education News - International School News
Wednesday, 07 January 2009 15:10 Last Updated on Wednesday, 28 January 2009 17:36
Korea Dramatic lack of students for Songdo International, Numbers so low, opening new school to be very hard
The opening of Songdo International School, originally scheduled for September this year, has hit a snag - a dearth of foreign students. As yet, a relatively small number of foreign businesses are operating in the Incheon Free Economic Zone, where the school will be located.
Songdo International School is considered to be the first school in Korea that will be directly operated by a foreign educational institution, the U.S. International School Service.
Strict regulations concerning such international schools have also obstructed Songdo International from opening. The school intends to offer pre-, elementary and secondary school programs to 2,100 students. About 150 billion won ($115 million) has been invested in the construction of the school, which started in 2006 and is slated to finish in March this year. It boasts top-notch facilities including a theater, swimming pool and sports complex.
Under the existing regulations, the number of Korean students allowed into Songdo International School is limited to 30 percent of the foreign student population.
However, the recent preliminary survey conducted by the New Songdo International City Development, or NSIC, which is in charge of establishing Songdo International, revealed that the new institution can only expect 20 foreign students. This low number means it can take in no more than six Korean students.
These figures will make it virtually impossible to open the school’s doors. Under the circumstances, the NSIC is now considering the desperate measure of converting Songdo International School into a school intended for foreigners living in Korea, so it can open as scheduled.
Foreign schools in Korea are allowed to fill 30 percent of their quota with Koreans who have lived overseas for more than three years, regardless of the number of foreign students.
The plan is likely to face criticism, however, from domestic students preparing to enter the school. While Songdo International School is open to Korean students who have not lived abroad, general foreign schools are not.
NSIC said it still prefers to open the school as an international school as originally planned and called for the government to ease the regulations concerning such institutions.
“The student selection regulations, including the proportion of foreign and domestic students, need to be relaxed until there are more foreign businesses in the Incheon Free Economic Zone and we have a good number of eligible foreign students here,” NSIC Vice-president Shim Heon-chang said.
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