Busan's Education Office announced on August 5 that it will select 550 public school teachers for the 2027 academic year. This number represents a decrease of 234, or 29.8%, from the 784 teachers projected at the same time last year.
The planned selection includes 191 teachers for early childhood, elementary, and special education (9 for kindergarten, 173 for elementary, 2 for special kindergarten, and 7 for special elementary). For secondary education, a total of 359 teachers will be selected (292 for secondary subjects, 20 for health, 6 for librarians, 16 for counseling, 7 for nutrition, and 18 for special secondary education). Detailed subject-specific selection numbers can be found on the education office's website.
The most significant reduction occurred in the elementary teacher category, where the planned selection dropped from 276 last year to 173 this year, a decrease of 103. In special education, the number of teachers for kindergarten and elementary levels decreased to 2 and 7, respectively, while the number for secondary education increased to 18 compared to last year.
The education office cited teacher retirements, changes in student enrollment, and the Ministry of Education's direction on teacher supply as reasons for the reduced selection numbers.
An official from the education office stated, "Other cities and provinces are also reducing their elementary teacher numbers, indicating a general trend of decreased teacher selection. However, it is difficult to quantify the exact impact of each factor." The significant drop in elementary teachers is largely attributed to the accumulation of existing waiting list candidates.
The official added, "There are still candidates waiting for placement from last year's hiring, which has resulted in fewer selections this time." Regarding concerns about a backlog in teacher appointments, the official noted that teacher allocations are determined according to Ministry of Education standards, limiting the education office's autonomy in decision-making.
The confirmed schedule for the employment exam will be posted on the education office's website: for early childhood, elementary, and special education teachers on September 9, and for secondary teachers on September 30. The announced selection numbers may be adjusted based on the Ministry of Education's final allocation results in the second half of the year.
Applications will be accepted through the 'Online Teacher Recruitment System.' Early childhood, elementary, and special education teachers can apply from September 28 to October 2, while secondary teachers can apply from October 12 to 16. The first written exams will take place on November 7 for early childhood, elementary, and special education teachers, and on November 28 for secondary teachers.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.