“I Think Today Might Be My Last Day”: SA Teacher in South Korea Gets Fired Over Contract Dispute

• A South African teacher in South Korea recorded herself explaining how she was asked to leave training after requesting a copy of her signed contract
• The educator revealed that her employer scheduled training from 10 am to 6 pm, despite her contract stating training hours were only from 10 am to 1 pm
• Social media users reacted to the video with mixed responses, with some supporting her stance, whilst others commented on the entitlement of workers today

A South African teacher and TikTok content creator @megan.yun, who lives and works in South Korea, found herself in a tough spot at work after standing up for her rights during a training session. She shared a video explaining how she expected to be fired after questioning training hours that went beyond what was in her contract.

In the video, she says:

"Hi, looks like today is the day I'm getting fired. I say that because we have training today from 10 to 6, but my contract says training from 10 to 1."

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She also mentioned that, despite asking several times, her supervisor refused to give her a copy of her signed contract.

She explained that when she arrived for training on Sunday, she told her supervisor she couldn’t stay longer without first seeing her contract. In response, the supervisor simply told her to leave the room.

The teacher then waited in the reception area for about 45 minutes, but her supervisor left her without giving her any instructions.

"I'm waiting, and I think today might be my last day," she said, adding that she planned to take legal action if she was fired.

Watch the TikTok clip below.

Labour rights in South Korea

South Korea has recently strengthened its commitment to fundamental labour standards. In April 2021, the country ratified three fundamental ILO Conventions demonstrating its commitment to promoting freedom of association and eliminating forced labour. This move signified Korea's dedication to establishing sound labour-management relations based on autonomy and responsibility.

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Teaching English in South Korea has become increasingly popular among South Africans, with an estimated 24,000 English teachers working in the country each year.

Also, many South African teachers are choosing to work in South Korea due to the country's high demand for English educators. South Africa is recognised as a native English-speaking country, along with the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

This recognition makes South African teachers preferred candidates for English teaching positions abroad. South Korea's focus on English education has created a robust job market for foreign teachers. It's an appealing destination for those looking to advance their careers and experience a new culture.

Despite the attractive benefits packages that often include round-trip airfare, accommodation, and medical care, some educators face challenges with employers who may not honour contractual agreements.

Social media reactions

@user4942586106380 commented:

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"The entitlement and arrogance of people in jobs today."

@🇿🇦TsholoK🇰🇷 gushed:

"You are dealing with these directors and I love that. INSPIRED."

@Five advised:

"Please don't start your next job without pen to paper. No signed contract, no job. Don't take anyone's word for anything. Black and white, pen to paper."

@Lerato pointed out:

"It is your legal right to get a copy of your signed contract."

@Clint CR encouraged:

"Never be scared of a boss or a manager. They seem to think they own us. They don't! We own US. Proud of you, girl."

@Luntu shared:

"I don’t know what’s wrong with these academies, I was gonna start at a school they literally told me a contract is just a piece of paper, and that’s when I knew it was time to leave. Like what’s going on?"

Other teachers in the news

• Briefly News recently reported on a young South African educator who highlighted how his peers were treated unfairly by teachers in the past, providing a platform for others to share similar experiences.
• An educator took to social media to thank her learner for sharing a brilliant styling method that left netizens impressed with the results.
• A South African teacher and her pupil showed off their dance moves in a viral TikTok video that gathered thousands of views, likes and comments.

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Hilary Sekgota, human interest head of desk at Briefly News, contributed to this article.

Source: Briefly News