Korean class prepares skilled workers<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It was already 2 p.m. and Rini Febriani, 16, was rushing to reach
\nher Korean class.<\/p>\n
She was a bit late, actually.<\/p>\n
"But I couldn't miss this week's special class given by a
\nnative speaker who holds a master degree in Korean literature.
\nI'm sure that learning the language directly from a native
\nspeaker will be more effective," said the first year student of
\nState High School No. 27 school in Cempaka Putih, Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
The teacher, Yoon Yeohee, presented her first lessons on
\nFriday at the school as part of a three-year joint program
\nbetween the Korean Language Education Institute (LPBK) and the
\nschool.<\/p>\n
Yoon said that she admired the rapid learning capacity of the
\nstudents.<\/p>\n
"Even though they have been studying the language for only two
\nmonths, they are very quick to understand," Yoon said.<\/p>\n
Before she took the job, the class had been taught by an
\nIndonesian teacher hired by LPBK.<\/p>\n
Yoon is helping the school's students to improve their Korean
\nlanguage skills on behalf of the International Korean Language
\nFoundation, which sponsors Korean teachers to teach the language
\nacross the world.<\/p>\n
State High School No. 27 is the only school in Jakarta that
\noffers Korean language classes as part of their extracurricular
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
The school's deputy headmaster Zainal Arifin said that the
\nprogram aimed to produce skilled workers in the future.<\/p>\n
"Forty percent of our students choose to work rather than
\nfurther their studies at universities when they leave. So these
\nlessons will be a value-added skill," he said.<\/p>\n
The press and cultural attache of the Korean embassy, Kim
\nSang-Sool, added that the opportunity for the students to work in
\nKorean companies was wide open.<\/p>\n
He said that there were millions of Indonesian workers needed
\nby Korean companies, some operating abroad and others doing
\nbusiness here.<\/p>\n
"There are 800 Korean companies in Indonesia and the quota for
\nIndonesian migrant workers entering Korea is about 14,000. It
\ncould help them to find a job," he explained.<\/p>\n
Zainal said that when the class was first introduced in
\nSeptember last year, he did not imagine that the students would
\nbe interested.<\/p>\n
"There were 100 students who applied for the class.
\nUnfortunately, the school could only accommodate 40 students, who
\nwere in the first and second years, because they would only study
\nthe language for one year," Zainal said.<\/p>\n
Another student taking the course, Dita Handayani, said that
\nshe hoped that the class would be extended another year to allow
\nthe students the chance to master the language.<\/p>\n
"Too bad that the students here can only study it one year.
\nI'm afraid that by the time we finish, we still won't be able to
\ncommunicate in Korean," the 16-year-old said. (006)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/korean-class-prepares-skilled-workers-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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