With the help of local governments, which bear 80 percent of the study room budget through a local government outlay, children from households receiving livelihood subsidies and second level poverty households can be provided support. But the 82,440 students attending the study rooms include over 26,000 (31.6 percent) children from ordinary households. Most of these children belong to the real poverty class and have difficulty getting meals.
Can anybody find the Korean-language version, or tell me what they mean by "study rooms"? I know a lot of students in Gangjin went to the community center after school to get food and to receive help with their schoolwork, so I wonder if that's what they're talking about.
6 comments:
maybe it's Go-she-won. It's the cheapest place to stay in Korea. Usually old people on pension or welfare stay there. I stayed in one in seoul for several weeks during our winter vacation. Not nice. But I paid about 3000 won a day. so much cheaper than a motel. Some of the nicer Go she won are actually used by students for studing. It's just a bed, desk, closet, with shared toilet. Is that it?
Here is the Korean version:
http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/schooling/322596.html
They use the term 공부방. I'm not sure how it is different from a 독서실 but I presume it is depending on the aqe of the students. Younger kids would be going to the 공부방. The YMCA runs a few of these places throughout Gwangju. It is basically a place where latchkey kids go to finish homework before their parents come home. I have volunteered at one in a very poor area and the kids are not great students due to the fact that they have nobody really riding them to get their work done. Also, the food that they do get during the day is generally candy or snack foods.
고시원 were originally for univerity aged students needing cheap accomadations with an atmosphere that allows them to study. Now you find a lot of people who are down on their luck living in these places.
Kongbu-bangs are hagwons that are allowed to operate out of people's homes. They are licenced and sort of a step down from hagwons. A way for mothers to teach kids in their homes without renting an office or classrooms. Good way to make money in rich neighbourhoods, perhaps a line of support for families that can't afford hagwons in poorer areas.
I worked at a "study room" for a while as a favor to the owner. It was near Chonnam University, so it was mostly targeted to university students, but there were adult groups and children that met there. It was basically just a series of meeting rooms with either large booths for 6-9 people or desks, projectors, and small white boards. Kids were often there in one room, either playing with toys or studying. They had snacks there, but only like a PC방. At this study room, they charged by person per hour for the room, a minimal fee, usually less than 2,000 won.
My students in Mokpo were pretty poor and there were quite a few that went to study rooms after school too. I think one was run by the church that was closest to the school. There was also a "World Vision" branch that offered extra tutoring and was always looking for volunteers. One of my kids had a World Vision winter coat, so I guess he was one of the beneficiaries of their generosity. When we left Mokpo, we dropped a box full of English teaching books at WV in the hopes that it could help out a few of those less-fortunate kids.
The 'study rooms' mentioned in the articles seems to be 'kong-boo-bang' which are run by volunteers or social workers and supported (or at least used to be supported) by government and/or donations. 'Tok-seo-sil' and 'ko-see-won' are run by commercial proprieters.
Post a Comment