The government announced Sunday plans soon to revise regulations allowing easier access for foreign part-time instructors at primary and secondary schools to teaching jobs at higher educational facilities.

Under the proposed plans by the Ministry of Education, foreign part-time teachers at kindergartens and primary, middle and high schools will be eligible to apply for teaching jobs for related subjects at colleges and universities if they have worked for more than 15 hours per week at the primary and secondary schools.

Current regulations stipulate that graduates of colleges and universities must have at least four years in teaching experience to be qualified for an associate professor position at colleges and universities and six years for a full professorship.

The current rules, however, do not recognize part-time foreign teachers as regular teachers due to their status as part-timers, depriving them of chances to apply for jobs at higher education institutions.

"The provision revision to the current regulations aim to invite more excellent foreign teachers and address the discrimination against foreigners," a ministry official said. (Yonhap)