Mongolian teachers will teach South Korean students and help provincial communities improve their understanding of multicultural families under a teacher-exchange program.

The Korean Education Ministry said Thursday that 20 teachers would be assigned to nine local elementary or middle schools with a concentration of multiethnic students including Mongolian children.

They will spend two months from April 23 mostly at schools in Mongolian communities in Gangwon Province.

They are to teach English or Mongolian in regular classes or after-school classes, assisted by interpreters if necessary. They are certified teachers at Mongolian schools.

They will conduct separate classes to raise students’ awareness of multiculturalism and also train foreign spouses to become bilingual instructors.
“We expect it can be a chance for multiethnic students to take pride in their culture, not to mention taking interest in study. The Mongolian teachers are also expected to enrich multicultural education activities, which many schools here lack,” said a ministry official.

The ministry plans to send 20 Korean teachers to Mongolia this week to raise the local students’ and teachers’ understanding of Korean culture and language by conducting similar activities to what the Mongolian teachers will do here.

The government also operates a teacher exchange program with the Philippines and plans to swap 20 teachers in June and November.

By Lee Woo-young  (wylee@heraldcorp.com)